ASUS G75VW is world's first notebook to sport Broadcom 802.11ac WiFi, we go hands-on (video)

In the back corner of ASUS' brightly lit Computex booth there's a simulated gamer's lair, complete with dim LED lighting, the sound of frequent gun fire and a small handful of nondescript gaming notebooks. The G75VW is one such device, but in addition to the Ivy Bridge Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GTX 670M and massive 17.3-inch LCD, this otherwise standard portable rig includes one very important distinction: it's the very first of its kind to pack 802.11ac WiFi. Approaching gigabit Ethernet speeds, this 5th-generation WiFi-equipped notebook supports up to 900Mbps of wireless throughput -- though we certainly wouldn't expect to see such speeds smack in the middle of a tech trade show exhibition hall. Instead, the device performed within the 200-400Mbps range, only jumping beyond that upper limit for a second or two during our demo.

You can't get 802.11ac without a properly equipped router, so we weren't surprised to see an ASUS RT-AC66U positioned an inch away from the lappy's rear. Computex may be an appropriate venue to launch the first 802.11ac-capable computer, but it's certainly not the best place to demo any flavor of wireless technology, so we look forward to putting the new spec through its paces in a slightly less saturated setting. For now, you can get a closer look at the router and G75VW gaming system in our gallery below, followed by our hands-on video just after the break.

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Nintendo Wii U and games hands-on (video)

Nintendo's pre-E3 media briefing has wrapped up and the doors have opened, doors containing the latest and final revision of the Wii U hardware. Reggie & Co. failed to give us any concrete launch details beyond "holiday" this year, so we can't quite be sure of a date or a price or, really, much of anything. But, we do know about more of the launch titles. NintendoLand is, apparently, the premiere title, a sort of touchscreen-friendly version of Wii Sports that digs up many of the company's storied brands and squeezes them into mini-game format.

How does it play? And, how is the new, refined Wii U controller? Join us after the break to find out!

Hardware

The Wii U controller is subtly different than we saw last year. As unveiled in the pre-show briefing with Iwata-san the hardware's had some subtle tweaks made.

Biggest among them is the change from circle sliders to proper analog joysticks for each thumb, a change that might help to improve precision to some degree, but doesn't result in a drastically different feel. Speaking of feel, the controller is still very light, something we noted last year and immediately noticed this year as well. Since all the controllers are tethered we have to imagine they lack the onboard battery packs that will increase heft, but if you were worried that waving around a giant tablet will get tiring, well, don't sweat it.




Nintendo did confirm that you'll be able to use two of the things with the Wii U console, answering a question that we've had for the past year now and assuaging concerns that wireless bandwidth wouldn't be sufficient to support two wireless displays. How much extra controllers will cost, and how many developers will write games that expect players to have made that extra investment, remains to be seen.

Some of the buttons have been moved as well, notably Select and Start, which previously flanked the Home button. They've now moved to the side, beneath the main face buttons. A "TV" button has been added to the left of the power button and the triggers are slightly wider and more pronounced. The stylus moved too, how situated on the back-right rather than the left.

Like most Nintendo controllers, the Wii U gamepad is comfortable to hold in the hand and feels quite durable. Lengthy gaming sessions should be no problem.

NintendoLand and other software

There will be 12 total games for NintendoLand, but Nintendo's only showing off a subset of them for now. Why? Partly for the intrigue, but we're also guessing that some of them simply aren't done yet. The majority of these games are extremely simple affairs, titles that will entertain immediately but will live or die by their replayability. Again, it's just like Wii Sports, a mish-mash of games that somehow managed to be fresh even after hundreds of playings.

Will these games feel as fresh?

Luigi's Ghost Mansion

This is the game that was given a very, very lengthy demo in Nintendo's briefing and threatened to put nearly everyone in the Nokia Theater asleep. Fear not: it's a heck of a lot more fun to play than it is to watch. It borrows heavily from the Luigi's Mansion games but mixes that with Pac-Man-style gameplay for a multiplayer-match that is fun -- at least for a few minutes.

Up to four players can take Wiimotes and control multi-colored Luigis. These guys have only their flashlights and their wits to find the ghost. The ghost is, naturally, invisible unless illuminated by one of the players' flashlights -- flashlights that, naturally, have crummy batteries that die after about 30 seconds of use.

The players are otherwise blind and have to work together, communicating verbally to chase down the ghost through the maze. Meanwhile, the cunning ghost player, who has a Wii U gamepad, can see the entire board. He's trying to avoid the flashlights and sneak up on the human players to capture them. If he captures them he wins -- if he gets captured, the human players win.

If it sounds like fun, it is, and it doesn't hurt that the ghost is dressed up like Pac-Man. Will it stand up after a couple-dozen plays? That remains to be seen.

PanoramaView

Nintendo was showing off a feature by the name of PanaromaView, as well. Turn it on and the control pad will give you a list of locales you can choose from -- things like a double-decker bus and a tour of the cherry blossom trees of Japan. We opted for the latter, scrolled down with the d-pad and selected with the A button. Once fired up, the controller showed a trip down a river, with cherry blossoms in full bloom.

The key here is that you can move the controller around to get a full 360-degree picture. Imagine the Wii U controller as a window that you're looking through, move it up, down, left or right and you'll get a view of the image in the corresponding place. The video itself was crisp, though there were a few blurry spots, primarily toward the ground -- a similar effect to the one you get from Google Maps stitching. The company's rep was careful to point out that this is an "experience," not a game, which is to say the the company was just showing off the technology's potential, rather than a title the system will actually ship with the console. It's a feature that will be incorporated into titles to give players the full immersive experience.

Donkey Kong's Crash Course

One of the simpler Wii U NintendoLand games on display, Donkey Kong's Crash Course is a simple, physics-based race game in which you try to navigate a little car through a giant, zany maze. It's an entirely 2-D game and the controls are similarly limited -- just tilt the Wii U gamepad left or right to roll left or right, and then use the L or R buttons to raise or lower flippers. You can also rotate the thumbsticks to spin around big, spiraling sections of the course to let your little car through.

The trick, of course, is that if you hit anything too quickly or flip your little car over you crash and have to go back to the last checkpoint. How exactly this has anything to do with Donkey Kong or, indeed, the princess he's trying to race toward escapes us, but the game is reasonably fun. For a minute or two, at least.

Wrap-up

A year later, the Wii U looks and feels much like it did when we played with it last year. Still we've only had time with a selection of mini-games and still we don't know how much it'll cost or when it'll ship. With no proper guidance on those fronts it's hard to make a prediction on just how much of a must-buy the console is this holiday season, but surely by now most Nintendo fans will have already made up their minds on that front.

By Engadget

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Microsoft SmartGlass hands-on

Sure today's Microsoft E3 keynote was jam-packed full of high octane explosions, but the biggest excitement from the hardware-free event was arguably SmartGlass, a new technology from Redmond that promises to help to bring together users' diverse array of screens. When it was initially leaked ahead of the event, SmartGlass looked to largely be a somewhat straightforward AirPlay competitor. Judging by Microsoft's flashy demo video, however, the company is clearly looking to build it into its own beast all together. Thankfully, we got to play with it a bit -- albeit for a very short amount of time, given the fairly early state of the technology.

Let's start thing off by clarifying a big question surrounding the somewhat enigmatic demo that we saw at today's event: yes, SmartGlass gives developers the potential to turn smartphones and tablets into a controller for the Xbox 360. As suspected, it will likely be integrated into more casual games -- after all, we shudder at the thought of controlling, say, Halo 4 using just a touchscreen. As is the nature of the product, the company isn't letting the details flow too freely here, but in a demo we saw of the technology tonight, a Microsoft rep name-dropped a title called Home Run Stars -- a baseball game, as you've likely already gathered from the fairly straightforward name.

We didn't get to see the game in action, but the rep mentioned a gameplay scenario in which one player uses the Kinect to bat and the other pitches with the touchscreen -- again, not too dissimilar from the kind of dual-screen gaming we've seen with the Wii U thus far. And you can also invert that game play, if you so choose, pitching on the Kinect and batting with a tablet or smartphone. Thing is, Microsoft is looking to make this whole process open for developers. As the rep put it, "what we've done is create a platform." In other words, Redmond is putting forward the tools here and letting the content developers play around, to come up with their own functionality based on SmartGlass.

While the baseball title was more in the talking stages tonight, we got the see SmartGlass in action with a couple of demoable titles, including, most notably, Ascend: New Gods. Get the game rolling and the title will pop up on your SmartGlass-enabled device. When it doesn't have tailored information to display, the device goes into "listening mode," essentially awaiting the game to give it its next set of instructions (via WiFi).

The key functionality in this demo was a map. The question of what one does with a SmartGlass device while playing with a standard controller was answered, in this case, with "you put it on the table in front of you," so you can play the game and glance down at the map every time you need to figure out where you're going. Once the player left the cave, the handset switched back into listening mode. When confronted by a boss, it switched gears again, offering up boss stats, so you know whether it's time to fight or to run, based on your own status. Again, this is all about augmenting your gameplay.

Microsoft also showed off an as-of-yet untitled karaoke game, again displaying a whole new set of functionality. Here, the SmartGlass-enabled device essentially gives other players something to do while you're singing your heart out. The device more or less turns into a karaoke remote. You can scan song titles and lyrics, and when you land on a track you like, enter it into the device and it will show up in a queue on the screen -- just like a real karaoke joint, without the two drink minimum.

Naturally, SmartGlass isn't just about gaming. Movies and TV also serve as a key component. Microsoft once again trotted out Game of Thrones as part of tonight's demo. The HBO series does serve as a great example of the technology's potential, helping viewer get insight into the show's fairly complex mythology. You can view a map and get additional content like cast information and commentaries from the directors and writers. You can also check out the detailed character genealogy and episode timelines, in case you get lost.

For the movie, the company gave us the Jack Black vehicle, School of Rock. Here you can get character info based on a given scene. Characters will pop up on your mobile device as they enter and leave. You can also skip ahead with a scrolling layout, picking and choosing scenes based on characters. And, of course, you can watch a video on your tablet and pick up where you left off on the big screen. Oh yeah, and remote control functionality is built in as well, once you move over to the TV.

Again, we're very much in the early stages here. SmartGlass is set to launch at some point in the fall, so we've still got a ways to go. There's lots of other functionality we've yet to see, like Web browsing, in which you use your tablet or phone as a keyboard for the TV-screen-based internet experience. Much of the functionality will also be up to the partners -- after all, Microsoft is trying to keep things open on its end and let the developers go wild coming up with new functionality. As far as partners go, MS says the content demoed is likely indicative of some of the launch partners, and we've seen some pretty high profile ones thus far, including HBO (Game of Thrones) and EA (Madden).

And platforms? Redmond's still promising us the moon, including Windows on the phone and PC (duh), iOS and Android. Asked whether the latter two would be limited in terms of features, Microsoft sort of skirted the question, saying that that would be, "up to the partners." So, who knows on that front. All said, though, we've got what's shaping up to be an awfully compelling product here.

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Samsung demos Series 5 Ultra Touch and Series 5 Ultra Convertible Ultrabooks, we go hands-on

Well, look at what we have here! We just swung by Samsung's booth at Computex, and the outfit is showing off not one, but two touch-enabled variations of its Series 5 Ultrabooks. These include the Ultra Touch, a classic clamshell laptop, along with the Ultra Convertible, whose 13-inch display folds all the way back (not unlike the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga). Both devices are on their way stateside; it's just not clear when or how much they'll cost. Until then, we've got hands-on preview photos below, along with detailed impressions and a pair of walk-through videos. So join us, won't you?

Look and feel

Samsung didn't come all the way to Taipei to show you the great things it can do with metal unibodies and backlit keyboards. No, the real story here are the different form factors that are growing up around Windows 8, so it's not surprising to us that the overarching industrial design has taken a bit of a back seat. These are, more or less, variations on the same Series 5 Ultrabooks we already saw: a mix of metal and plastic, with not-backlit keys and 1366 x 768 displays. Tasteful stuff, but there's also's also a reason Samsung stuck these in its second-to-lowest product tier. (Across Sammy's lineup, Series 7 and 9 are higher-end.)

In terms of ports, you're looking at the same setup across both Ultrabooks: USB 3.0, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, HDMI, a 4-in-1 memory card reader and a combined mic / headphone jack. If you've been following along, you already know USB 3.0 is now a requirement in all Intel-endorsed Ultrabooks, but we still appreciate seeing HDMI and Ethernet on a machine like this.

Keyboard and trackpad

This is the same shallow but well spaced 'board you'll find on Samsung's other Series 5 Ultrabooks. Interestingly, the trackpad differs across the two devices: the clamshell Ultra Touch has a touchpad with discrete buttons, while the Ultra Convertible has a more spacious clickpad. We'll be curious to see if the smaller of the two pads meets Microsoft's requirements for gesture-enabled touchpads, though we have no reason to believe it doesn't.

Display

Zach Honig, the man responsible for those photos you see up there, said it best: "That is one glossy display!" And it is, which is surprising given that Samsung's PC group has a history of using matte screens with wide viewing angles (Sammy does have some panel know-how by way of its TV division, don'tcha know). The thing is also a fingerprint magnet. Our quibbles about the screen glare aside, both screens were exceedingly responsive to taps and swipes, even in prototype form. Just have a cheese cloth nearby to keep it looking pristine.

Form factors

There's not much to say about the clamshell notebook: even a five year-old can latch onto the concept of touching a screen. In the case of the convertible, Samsung seems to have run into the same problem as Lenovo, which is to say that keyboard is exposed when the screen is in tablet mode. As ever, it feels strange to cradle a tablet-type device whose backside is comprised of various keys. We'll also say that the hinge mechanism felt slightly loose, but we're willing to chalk that up to pre-production kinks.

Specs

Samsung is resolutely not talking about processors or RAM today, though we noticed a display card listing a 500GB hard drive. This isn't surprising, since Samsung already puts 500GB HDDs in its entry-level Ultrabooks. (The ones already shipping are coupled with some flash storage for faster boot-ups, though we haven't received confirmation that'll be the case here.) At least one of the units we tested had about 128GB of total storage, which tells us solid-state drives will probably be offered.

via Engadget

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Samsung teases Series 5 Hybrid PC, a Windows 8 tablet with magnetic keyboard dock and pen support

You wanted Windows 8 tablet / laptop mash-ups, you got 'em! On the heels of some rather inventive product launches from Acer and ASUS here at Computex, Samsung is teasing a Win8 device of its own, the Series 5 Hybrid PC. For now, Samsung's not sharing many technical details -- we don't even know the screen size! -- but the concept, at least, is self-explanatory: this is a Transformer-like tablet that slots into an accompanying keyboard dock. In an interesting twist, though, this device doesn't make use of your run-of-the-mill latch mechanism; instead, the slate attaches magnetically.

The Hybrid is rated for 10 hours of battery life and has a pair of 2- and 8-megapixel cameras. It also supports pen input, and will come bundled with the same S-Pen and S-Memo software used on the Galaxy Note 10.1 (but modified for Windows, of course). This might be a good time to clarify that unlike the 10.1 (or any other Galaxy Tab, for that matter), this is not an ARM-based slate, but rather, an X86 PC. This means, of course, that it runs full Windows 8, and not just the RT version. As it happens, Engadget had the chance to check out a prototype in advance of the launch, and it was running a two-watt Intel Clover Trail CPU. At the time, a Samsung rep told us the company was considering an ultra low voltage notebook-grade processor. Other possible specs: a 1080p display option, with some lower, unspecified resolution offered as well. Lastly, the early model we saw had a USIM slot, a microSD reader and a Superspeed USB port. Keep in mind, though, that all these details are subject to change.

Back when we got a sneak peek at the Hybrid, we handled a non-powered unit, and members of the press were not permitted to take photos or video that day. We can't speak to the software experience, then, but we did find the build quality to be solid. If the idea of a magnetic hinge gives you the willies, this one seemed quite sturdy -- we don't see the slate slipping out of its cradle without any effort on the part of the user. At 747 grams (1.65 pounds) and 9mm (0.35 inches) thick, it feels denser than similar-looking products like the ASUS Transformer Prime, but then again, this is a fully functioning PC. Though Samsung won't confirm the screen size, a quick once-over told us it measures between 10 and 11 inches diagonally, matching other Win8 tablets announced this week. For now, this blend of facts and educated guesses will have to suffice, but we'll naturally hit you back with more particulars as we hear them.

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Garmin outs motorcycle-centric zumo 350LM

Garmin's torn the wraps off its zumo 350LM for those of you who prefer to zip around on two wheels. Though its 4.3-inch glove-friendly touchscreen is encased in a waterproof exterior to withstand a beating from the elements and "fuel sprays," it'll happily sit inside your car with an included mount and built-in speaker. Those sticking to motorcycles, however, can pipe turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation through the sunlight-readable device to compatible Bluetooth headsets or helmets. Stat-happy bikers can record their chopper's maintenance work with the service history log feature and use Garmin's Basecamp utility to plan out trips beforehand. The zumo's expected to ring up at $699.99 -- as pricey as its older siblings -- and roll out in the third quarter of 2012.

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ASUS Transformer AiO official: all-in-one PC dual-boots Android and Windows 8

ASUS has managed to keep a tight lid on its Computex 2012 lineup, but it left no doubt about this: it was on the verge of announcing a dual OS (and possibly dual form factor) device capable of running both Android and Windows. Otherwise, we've been left to throw guesses at the wall. Was this to be a Transformer Pad running Win8? A dual-side touchscreen device? Well, friends, you needn't wonder any more. The company just announced the Transformer AiO, an 18.4-inch desktop that runs both operating systems.

Unlike the Android-and-ARM-based Viewsonic desktop we saw earlier today, the Transformer AiO seems rooted in Windows 8: it boots into Win8, and transitions into Android only after you press a button. In addition to running two OS', the AiO has dual form factors: you can use it as a traditional all-in-one if you like, or you can detach the screen from the base and use it as a wireless display (slash, an absurdly large 18-inch tablet). No word yet on when this will be available or how much it will cost. For now, we've got an extra photo in the gallery below, along with a walk-through video after the break.

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How-to: Build a multi-talented HTPC for (roughly) $1,000

This is an auspicious year for building an HTPC or indeed any type of sub-$1,000 rig. Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors are about to exert a nice downward pressure on last year's finest, despite the fact that Sandy Bridge still holds up well for many people's needs -- and much the same can be said of AMD's Llano APUs following the arrival of Trinity. In fact, thanks to the market's regular churn, the HTPC parts we look at after the break could easily fall below their $1,019 total bill before you even pick up your screwdriver. (Okay, so we went slightly over $1,000. It's a free country.)

On the other hand, you'd have to be mildly loopy to drop serious cash on a PC that's solely for media consumption. Times have changed since our last build in 2009, and they're unrecognizable compared to the time before that. These days, even ARM-powered smartphones can handle 1080p in and out, nettops with Blu-ray drives can be had for $500and even totally silent fanless HTPCs are available for around $1,000 (albeit with very modest specs). From that perspective, this might actually be a terrible time to persuade people that spending a grand on a plain old home-built HTPC makes sense -- and that's why, after the break, we're not even going to try.

Components

So, our $1,019 HTPC suddenly seems obscenely expensive in the year 2012, which means it'll have to work twice as hard to prove its mettle. Just how will it do that? By returning to the fundamental idea of a what a do-it-yourself rig is all about: spending money only on the stuff you want, ignoring the bits you can live without and -- most importantly -- future-proofing the whole thing so that it can keep pace with your most unexpected whims.

What if we later decide to add an ever-cheaper SSD to speed things up? Or shove 5TB of storage into the chassis and use it as a NAS? Or buy a graphics card and a Logitech wheel for some racing action in the living room? By rights, a DIY rig ought to cut off none of these options. So, with that mind, let's pick some components. (Big thanks to QuietPC.com for loaning us the products.)

Chassis -- This PC will need to be powered all day long to record TV shows, let us remote in from the beach, backup files, stream music and take care of a billion other chores. Fractal's Define R3 has been around for a while, but it has a solid reputation and comes with dampening foam and a fan controller. If you can't get hold of the R3, then H2 from NZXT takes a very similar approach.

Power supply -- Our budget won't stretch to a totally fanless build that delivers everything we want, but we can still minimize noise with a fanless PSU. Seasonic's SS-400FL is expensive compared to regular power supplies, but it'll deliver stable wattage while contributing precisely zero extra decibels to your living room.

Processor -- Fair enough, AMD's Llano A8 chips are a great choice for an HTPC that will only ever be used as an HTPC, and indeed we list them as a good budget option further down this page. But for now we're aiming high: we want an Intel Core i5-2500K that delivers superior CPU power, overclockability and its own HD 3000 integrated graphics. We'll be bound to its stock cooler for now, but we're familiar with it and we know it's not too whiny. In future, a $40 third-party cooler could allow us to push those overclocks further.

Motherboard -- Overclock an HTPC? Hell, yeah. Why pay the full price for a processor and then not push it to the max? The Z68 chipset allows for this, but unlike the P67 it also lets us use the Core i5's integrated graphics, which is essential since we're not yet investing in a graphics card. The Gigabyte GA-Z68-UD3H-BA is nice and tough (albeit not "military-grade"), which means it stands a greater chance of surviving drops, elbows, and elbow-drops during installation.

HDD -- We actually have a Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drive that we'd love to use in this rig, but the $180 price tag is just too toppy. Instead we put in a regular Samsung 1TB HDD for $110. And we still feel ripped off, but we'll get to that later.

RAM -- Back in 2009, we spent $26 on 4GB of DDR2. This time we're getting 8GB of Crucial's XMS DDR3 for $49, but if you check back at Newegg occasionally you may well spot a $20 rebate offer.

Tuner -- This depends on your geography. We built our rig in the UK where the tuner market is less healthy and uses different broadcast standards, but Engadget's US-based HD team will happily recommend the Hauppauge CableCARD USB tuner pay TV, or the slightly pricier HDHomeRun for ATSC/ClearQAM. If you absolutely insist on keeping the price down, then a regular PCI Express tuner can be had for around $65.

Controllers -- We snatched the keyboard and mouse from an older PC to save costs. Once the PC was set up, we switched to mainly using Windows Live Mesh (free) for controlling the desktop from our main laptop, plus the Remote Kitten app (also free) for controlling Media Center using an iPhone. SplashtopHD is also very useful, but that costs.

Product	Shopping	Lowest Price
Fractal Define R3	Shop!	$109.99
Intel Core i5-2500K	Shop!	$219.99
Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3	Shop!	$129.99 (after rebate)
Corsair XMS3 8GB	Shop!	$48.99
Samsung F3 1TB	Shop!	$109.99
Samsung SH-B123L Combo	Shop!	$71.41
Hauppauge CableCARD tuner	Shop!	$98.99
Seasonic SS-400FL PSU	Shop!	$129.99
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium	Shop!	$99.99

Installation

If you've built a PC before, then there's nothing unusual here -- these are all regular parts that fit together in the normal way. If not, then it's probably best to get a friend to help out, but in the meantime here's a quick summary of the build:

1. The PSU went into the case with a couple of screws.
2. We put the motherboard on a desk and loaded it up with the CPU, a good dollop of thermal paste and the stock cooler. We also put in the RAM.
3. The Fractal case comes with everything you need. We put in the motherboard holders, then then the mo'bo itself and then the secondary screws to hold it in place.
4. We connected up the intake and exhaust fans to the fan controller, which sits in one of the PCI slots. Fractal's bundled controller lets you dial the fan speed right down if CPU temperature is low, and lower RPM means less noise.
5. The optical drive and HDD all went in next, with the latter two getting their power connections from the PSU and their SATA connections (3Gb/s for the Blu-ray, 6Gb/s for the HDD) from the motherboard.
6. The fiddliest connections are always the case controls -- connecting the power button, reset button etc., to the motherboard. We deliberately left out the LED case light connection, because we want it to be as discreet as possible.
7. No point putting the case sides on until you know everything's working okay. We plugged Ethernet, HDMI, optical audio, tuner, mouse and keyboard into the back of the case and then switched on to make sure we saw the boot-up screen on the TV. We also checked that the fans were running properly. Then the sides went on, significantly reducing the noise. If you're going to get electrocuted, make sure it happens now rather than after you've wasted time installing software, etc.
8. The Windows 7 boot CD went in and once that was installed we moved onto the motherboard and tuner card drivers. We then ran Windows Media Center and scanned for TV channels.

Daily operation

The HTPC ran nice and quiet, which was a relief seeing as how the case and fanless PSU forced us to make major sacrifices in other areas. Idle noise was 35.1dBa, which was only a couple of dBs above background noise in the living room. This noise consisted mainly of the high-pitched whirr of the CPU fan, but it was barely noticeable -- to the point where if you got distracted, you'd have to re-focus your concentration just to make out the sound.

A battered MiniDisc player functioned as our DAC

For comparison, an old Dell business desktop gave us 41dBa at idle, a PlayStation 3 gave us 42dBa and an original Xbox 360 (not Elite) gave us 47.8dbA. It's said that a 10dB gain is perceived by human ears as a doubling of volume, which seems about right -- the Xbox sounded far louder than our HTPC. When listening to music, the sound of the PC was obliterated by a battered old Sony amp and speakers plugged into the motherboard's optical port via an equally battered MiniDiscplayer with optical-in that functioned as our DAC.

So far so good, but what about when the drives are utilized? Heavy HDD use gave us 40dB, while accessing HDD and spinning up a Blu-ray took this to a deafening 50dBA. Luckily, once a disc was loaded and running, sounds from the drive ceased almost completely and overall system noise remained close to the idle level while actually playing a movie -- the Samsung SH-123L was impressive in that respect. Nevertheless, the Samsung HDD was a disappointment considering how much it cost us: it was too clacky and louder than a 5400RPM drive ought to be.

A couple more stats before we move on: idle system power hovered around 44 watts, rose to 55 watts for live TV and 80 watts for Supreme Commander. CPU temperature stayed around 30 degrees and only rose to 40 degrees after an hour-long bout of Medieval II: Total War(played with a mouse on a cushion -- not ideal but still fun.) That leaves plenty of headroom for overclocking later via the BIOS, or using Gigabyte's EasyTune6 utility if you can get it to load up (we couldn't). The Windows Experience Index came out at 5.9 -- hampered by the HDD.

In terms of real-world tasks, we weren't left wanting

In terms of real-world tasks, we weren't left wanting. Windows Media Center handled recording and watching 1080i TV channels (using the terrestrial Freeview HD service in the UK) with no issues. Dropbox, Windows Live Mesh, Splashtop HD, Spotify, Logitech Media Server and other apps ran simultaneously behind Media Center and other apps without stressing the system. We didn't really test PC gaming (beyond Medieval II and a bit of Supreme Commander 2) because this set-up has no couch-friendly controller to make that a sensible option. Nevertheless, we did run a few Wii and N64 games quite happily using the Dolphin emulatorrunning with a WiiMote, a third-party IR bar and a Bluetooth adapter for the PC.

Remote Kitten was a mixed blessing as a Windows Media Center controller. The app worked 90 percent of the time but had to be restarted occasionally when it failed to connect -- no fun when you're missing your favorite show. We tried a couple of Android alternatives but found that they were deeply unfriendly in comparison and not worth the hassle -- ready money awaits anyone who can improve the current dearth of easy-to-use WMC controllers in Google Play. In contrast, Windows Mesh and SplashTop HD ran like a dream and made it easy to access and control the computer from a Windows laptop, Macbook Pro, HTC Flyer and various Android smartphones. The only downside was the fact that SplashTop still isn't compatible with full-screen apps, which made it useless for controlling Media Center. Surely they can fix that?

Budget options

We can't skimp on the case, PSU, tuner, storage or optical drive without dooming the project, but other areas are open to cost-cutting.

The biggest savings can be made by switching to AMD and its successful Llano APU -- seeing as Trinity components won't be available for a while yet. An A8-3870K costs just $130, and an Asus F1A75-V Pro FM1-socket motherboard adds another $110. That's a $170 saving compared to our Intel options, with significant CPU sacrifice but little graphical sacrifice, and still plenty of guts to handle many simple HTPC tasks.

The biggest savings can be made by switching to AMD

Likewise, if PVR functionality is your main concern, you may as well save another $99 by giving up on Windows and switching to Linux and XBMC -- there's a full how-toright here, and also check out the More Coverage link below.

Bling

The smart choice is to add a 120GB SanDisk Extreme SSD to complement your HDD, reduce platter clatter and speed up overall performance. Alternatively, skip the main HDD and go for a 750GB Momentus XT hybrid as your primary drive -- although you will run out of space and need to buy more at some stage.

Next, we'd pawn the kid's stroller to pick up a decent low-power graphics card -- at least a Radeon HD 7770 at $170 in order to play F1 2011 with a wheel off eBay (if anyone is actually selling a Fanatec).

We'd also be in the market for a better HTPC controller, but other than the ancient Logitech DiNovo Edge or Veho's interesting take on the subject, this segment of the market looks pretty sparse.

Wrap-up

After a couple of months using this setup as a primary PC, PVR, Blu-ray player, music hub and network storage, it's been hard not to become totally enamored with it. By virtue of its flexibility and central position in the house, it had emergent benefits that we never expected but quickly became reliant on: like the ability to store TV programs as regular video files that can be immediately copied across to a mobile deivce, or load up the odd game of Legend of Zelda: Windwaker when no one is looking, or editing a document on the big screen so that others in the room could agree or disagree with each change.

No doubt there's room for improvement. The HDD choice wasn't great, the case may be too large for some, and there will definitely be folks out there who'd prefer to sacrifice power and expandability for the sake of a fanless system. If you'd like to recommend different choices, or ask us to try out a different component (a fanless cooler perhaps?), or even if you think our whole philosophy on this build is out of whack, feel free to let us know.

via Engadget

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Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video)

Well hello there again, Gigabyte X11. Hot on the heels of yesterday's leak, Gigabyte's just made its 11.6-inch X11 laptop (or is that an Ultrabook?) official. At 975g (2.15 pounds) it claims the title of "lightest notebook on earth" -- and weighs even less on Mars. Design-wise, you're looking at a 16.5mm (0.65 inches) to 3mm (0.19 inches) thin Macbook Air-like body made of real carbon fiber (!) with an aluminum hinge. Under the hood you'll find unspecified third generation Intel Core processors (read Ivy Bridge), 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Mobile Intel HM77 Express chipset with Intel HD Graphics 4000, a 128GB SSD, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0.

Ports include power, USB 2.0 and mini DisplayPort on the left side plus microSD, combo audio and USB 3.0 on the right. While the specs also mention gigabit Ethernet, there's no sign of it anywhere in the press shots. The display is a 1366x768-pixel LED-backlit affair dotted with a 1.3 megapixel webcam. A chiclet keyboard, buttonless trackpad and 4730mAh 7.4V Li-ion polymer battery (likely sealed) complete the package. There's no information on availability, but prices will range from $999 to $1299 with Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional in tow. Expect more information when we get our hands on this sexy beast at Computex next week.

Update: Our colleagues over at Engadget Chinese just got to spend some time with this svelte black slab. Take a look at the gallery below and hit the break for the hands-on video.



In addition, Gigabyte's announcing two 14-inch laptops -- the U2442 and U2440 -- which feature third generation Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce graphics. Unfortunately, we're still busy drooling all over the X11 gallery, so we'll direct you to the full PR after the break for more information.

Andy Yang contributed to this report.

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Amazon Instant Video streaming is now live on the Xbox 360

If Amazon's video store is going to compete with the other online sources like Hulu and Netflix, getting on as many platforms as possible is key and it made a major expansion today by launching on the Xbox 360. The app launched on the PS3 back in April, and just like that version, this one includes access to Amazon's video on-demand and Prime all-you-can-eat subscription based streaming. Unique to the Xbox 360 app is support for the console's Kinect peripheral and its ability to recognize control by gesture or voice, plus a brand new feature for Amazon -- a queue. The Watchlist (for now only available on the Xbox 360, Kindle Fire and via the web) lets customers preselect programming they're interested in for easy access on the devices later, just like Netflix's implementation, however Amazon's VOD store means access to newer and higher profile content is just a click away. There's more details in the press release and video after the break, or you can just check out the app on your console right now (if you're in the US and have Xbox Live Gold, of course -- even if you don't have Prime, there's a one month free trial offer).

[Thanks, AtillaG!]

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Absinthe 2.0 used to jailbreak nearly one million iOS devices in a single weekend

973,086 iOS devices were jailbroken in a single weekend thanks to Absinthe 2.0, which was released on Friday. Chronic-Dev, one half of the Jailbreak Dream Team tweeted the announcement yesterday, adding that 211,401 of those freed were third-generation iPads. If you want to loosen your own Apple-branded handheld from the clutches of Cupertino's control, then the warranty-worrying software is still available -- with the promise that it's so easy, your grandma could do it.

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Google Wallet: one year later

The rumors and leaks go back a bit further, but it was a year ago today that Google officially revealed its Google Wallet mobile payment service -- a platform that the company is still betting big on, even if it may be slightly reconsidering the way it does business. While it might not have taken off quite as quickly as Google would have liked, the past year has still been a fairly eventful one for the service -- albeit occasionally for reasons the company would prefer you forget -- and the next year proves to be even more challenging as the service faces increased competition. Read on for a look back at how we got here, and what lies ahead for both Google Wallet and mobile payments in general.

The History

Of course, while Wallet is Google's first big push into mobile payments, it is far from the first. Mobile payments have been "the future" of payments for decades now, long before the days of smartphones equipped with NFC (or Near Field Communication). Early attempts in the 1990sfrom companies like DigiCash focused not on phones, but on standalone "smart cards," which promised better security, no transaction fees and more convenience than traditional credit cards -- one day we would use them not to just pay for items at a store, but from our home computers as well. E-cash for an e-economy.

With the rapid rise of cellphones, though, came a push for mobile commerce, or "m-commerce," an effort that really began to pick up steam in the early 2000s when mobile payments were not just the realm of upstarts, but big players like Nokia (which would continue to push its own efforts throughout the decade). Our phones would be the one device we used for everything: they'd open doors, get us on a bus or subway, and let us pay for anything, anywhere. In many ways, that's still the goal we're working towards, and one that's slowly starting to become a reality.

The Launch

The launch of Google Wallet was a typical, modern day tech event. The press assembled on short notice for a presentation filled with slides, demonstrations and much walking back and forth on stage -- partners were trotted out, promises were made and lots of questions were left unanswered. The launch event also marked the start of a very slow rollout for the service itself. Just one phone on one carrier was announced at the event -- the Sprint Nexus S 4G -- and the service launched only in limited trials in New York and San Francisco, with a vague "summer" date given for a broader rollout.

The launch of the service also brought a dispute with PayPal out into the open, with that company filing suit against Google the very day of the event, alleging that former PayPal executive Osama Bedier misappropriated the company's trade secrets in developing Google Wallet. PayPal further alleged that Stephanie Tilenius, also formerly of PayPal, violated the terms of her contract in recruiting Bedier. Google said it would defend itself against those charges at the time, but little has emerged about the lawsuit since, and PayPal itself is continuing to pursue a number of mobile payment initiatives.

The Devices

In the past year, the lineup of devices supporting Google Wallet has expanded a bit, but not all that much. In addition to the Nexus S, the Sprint Galaxy Nexus, LG Viper and LG Optimus Elite (also available on Sprint's Virgin Mobile prepaid brand) all support mobile payments with Google Wallet. You can also use the service with an unlocked Galaxy Nexus, albeit only on AT&T and T-Mobile (as Verizon has deemed fit to block it). Key to all of those phones is a built-in NFC chip, which has become the de facto standard for mobile payments in recent years. NFC itself is an extension of RFID technology (Radio-Frequency Identification), which was the basis for a number of earlier mobile payment efforts.

No fewer than 10 Google Wallet-supporting devices in all have been promised for this year -- but, again, Sprint remains the sole carrier (more on what the other big carriers are up to later). There was talk from the launch event of expanding the service through NFC stickers that could be attached to any smartphone, but this hasn't yet panned out.

The Partnerships

While it may be a bit short on carriers and phones, Google has fared a bit better when it comes to partners on the financial and retail sides. It's teamed up with MasterCard to allow for payments via hundreds of thousands of PayPass terminals at stores across the United States. There's also no shortage of retailers who have signed on to offer not just mobile payments, but coupons and loyalty credits as well -- Walgreens, Toys R Us, Macy's, The Gap, and Foot Locker, to name a few, with more promised.

Unfortunately, while MasterCard allows the service to be accepted at plenty of retailers, you still need a Citibank MasterCard to get the most out of it. Other cardholders can use the service, but you'll need to regularly top up your Google Wallet account rather than draw funds directly from your credit card. There's no word on any further expansion in that area just yet.

The Competition

Google faces a number of challenges on the road to widespread adoption of the service, not the least of which is some increased competition. Its biggest rival by far (at least in the US) is Isis, a joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon that's challenging Google and Sprint head-on -- offering the same contactless payments, coupons and loyalty cards, with an NFC-enabled smartphone handling all of the transactions. Also like Google Wallet, it's starting out slow, with trials in just two cities this summer (Salt Lake City and Austin), and a limited, but growing, number of credit card partners (currently including Chase, Capital One and American Express). Perhaps its biggest advantage over Google Wallet, though, is the promise of far more supported phones (from virtually all of the big manufacturers, Apple aside) on all three of the aforementioned carriers.

The company would also face several challengers if it intends to compete on an international level. A group of the UK's biggest carriers are forming their own Isis-like joint venture, Rogers and CIBC recently announced an initiative of their own in Canada, and various other partnerships and solo efforts are starting to sprout up around the globe before Google even gets its foot in the door.

The Future

So what will year two of Google Wallet look like? That's still very much a guessing game at this point, with Google itself staying relatively mum on any future plans beyond those aforementioned (but still unspecified) new devices and additional retail partners. The Wall Street Journal did recently report that Google may be considering a shift in strategy, however, with it possibly either sharing revenue with carriers in order to bring more on board or even side-stepping the carriers altogether and instead working directly with retailers to manage transactions. What is clear, though, is that this next year will likely be the most interesting time yet for mobile payments -- an area that, for all its progress, is still really just beginning to get off the ground.

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Sprint says thank you, gives patient subs free EVO 4G LTE cases

Waiting for the EVO 4G LTE to ship turned out to be much less of an exercise in Godot-like interminability than many subscribers once thought. That handset's now firmly in the hands of pre-order customers and to thank them for their (presumed) patience, Sprint's bundling a thank you gift with every parcel. As shown above, that make-good comes in the form of a smartphone case -- a Superman-colored one at that -- although we would've much preferred an extended battery. See, folks? You stand by your carrier and you get rewarded. That two-year contract had to be good for something.

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Nokia Alpha, Phi, PurePhi and PureLambda pop up in tests, bring Windows Phone 8 along for the ride

Not long after the Lumia 900 surfaced, Nokia's Windows Phone roadmap appeared to have come screeching to a halt -- official and otherwise. However, the first signs of Nokia's second wave may have just surfaced in WP Bench's testing leaderboards. The Nokia Alpha, Phi, PurePhi and PureLambda have all shown up at varying points in the chart; we've seen them for ourselves, although you'll need WP Bench on a Windows Phone to see them first-hand. Not much is visible without seeing the devices themselves, but the PureLambda appears to be running a build of OS 8.0 -- better known to most as Apollo, or possibly Windows Phone 8. As long as these aren't elaborate pranks, they could represent entry, mid-tier and high-end phones; we're wondering if the Pure tag isn't a reference to the PureView-equipped Lumias Nokia said were inevitable in the long run. No matter what the four phones turn out to be, any real devices will show us what Nokia can do with Microsoft's OS now that it's had time to strategize.

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