Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G review

Maybe you've noticed, maybe you haven't, but the Galaxy S 4G no longer exists at T-Mobile. Just one year ago, it replaced the Vibrant -- the carrier's first Galaxy S handset -- and now the Galaxy S 4G has similarly felt the cold embrace of Father Time. Fear not, though, because it has a replacement, and it's really quite admirable. Folks, let us introduce you to the Galaxy S Blaze 4G. If you're curious about the rationale behind the Blaze nomenclature, its meaning is actually two-fold: first, it's capable of accessing T-Mobile's speedy HSPA+ 42Mbps network, and second -- get this -- it packs the same dual-core processor as T-Mobile's Galaxy S II.

T-Mobile announces the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, available 'later this year'

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G hands-on

T-Mobile's Galaxy S Blaze 4G lands in select stores March 21st, everywhere else March 28th

Despite these two enhancements, the Galaxy S Blaze 4G stops short of encroaching on premium territory -- instead preferring to straddle the line between middle-of-the-road and high-end. Similarly, it retails for $200 on contract, before a $50 mail-in rebate. With such a lofty price, it'll undoubtedly instigate comparisons to the Galaxy S II and, soon enough, the HTC One S. Most importantly, though, is the question of whether the Blaze 4G can stand on its own as a quality smartphone; we're fully aware that prices change, and a vexing purchase today could become a wise decision tomorrow. With this in mind, join us after the break as we explore the latest that Samsung has to offer for T-Mobile.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G review

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G review

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/obP9xaZq00Q/

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Windows Home Server 2011 released to manufacturers

Just a little under two months after its release candidate went live, Windows Home Server (WHS) 2011 has been finalized and released into the wild. The new version of Microsoft's slick, do-it-all server OS is a big step forward from its predecessor.

Built on the Windows Server 2008 R2 base, Home Server 2011 features a simpler dashboard, a better backup solution, dead simple remote access to your home computers, and Silverlight-powered remote media streaming. For a more detailed look at what's new in Windows Home Server 2011, you check out Microsoft's official breakdown.

Drive Extender, of course, didn't resurface for the final release of WHS 2011 and that's something a lot of power users are still pretty irked about. Even without Extender, Windows Home Server offers a boatload of useful functionality and might be a good fit for your home network. Manufacturers have already begun building hardware, so you should be able to pick up a device in the very near future.

An evaluation download for Windows Home Server 2011 will be made available in April -- we'll let you know when the links are ready.

Windows Home Server 2011 released to manufacturers originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/windows-home-server-2011-released-to-manufacturers/

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Renault's Twizzy EV for 16 year-olds comes too late for Justin to skip the DMV queue

Renault's planning to take advantage of a change in the law that'll enable 16-year-olds to drive vehicles on the roads without a license by releasing the Twizzy EV. The futuristic golf-cart will have a top speed of 28mph and give budding Dominic Torettos the chance to drag-race each other in mall car parks every night. Unfortunately, environmentally-friendly road-raging will come at a price, with the Twizzy expected to retail at £6,200 ($9,940) and teenage insurance premiums being a further £4,000 ($6,400). At the same event, the company's Andy Heiron mentioned that the high cost of (sister-company's) Nissan Leaf was responsible for the sluggish sales in Blighty, and that Nissan is considering letting buyers rent their EV batteries in order to lower the initial cost of their enviro-whip to more manageable levels. Otherwise, it won't just be the kids fighting over who gets to do that extra paper-route.

Renault's Twizzy EV for 16 year-olds comes too late for Justin to skip the DMV queue originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/02/twizzy-ev/

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Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game

Yes, that's right, I said adorable. Because Cueboy Quest really is!

You play an 8-bit cowboy whose goal on each level is to get to the door (and thus to the next level), but the door is often locked. To get it to open, you must shoot at one or more targets, and those targets aren't always in your line of sight. For example, on one level the the target is a balloon which is stuck all the way at the other end of the screen. You must first nudge it free, and then watch it float up and try to shoot it before it floats clear off the screen. Your bullets are chunky pixels that have some weight - the have arcing trajectories, so you don't always hit exactly where you aim.

There's another level where you must jump on the balloon as it floats up, use it as a platform to get to the other end of the screen, and then turn to shoot it very quickly before it flies away. Each level is very short, and most of them are quite easy. And not only are the graphics 8-bit blocky, but they're large too. Simply beautiful!

Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/cueboy-quest-is-an-adorable-8-bit-style-physics-game/

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Switched On: Angry Nerds

Oh no! The evil pigs of purchase inhibition taken the valuable eggs of smartphone desire and captured them within a complex structure. Fortunately, there are a number of powerful birds that can be slung through the air, space or various sets of children's movies to smash down the structure. Why can't they just fly through the air since they're birds, you may ask? Gee, you sure ask a lot of questions. Just plunk down your $0.99 and gear up for in-app purchases for these valuable premiums.

Continue reading Switched On: Angry Nerds

Switched On: Angry Nerds originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/01/angry-nerds/

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April Fools' Day roundup: the big toys, the small toys and the cats

Depending on where you are right now, you're either pretty much done with April Fools' Day (hence our bloated inbox thanks to all you lovely tipsters!) or it's just about to start on your side of the world. In fact, some of this year's submissions already got a head start, including the excellent 8-bit quest mode in Google Maps. Oh, don't worry, there's plenty more from Mountain View and the usual participants this year -- we've rounded up the best of the lot right after the break for your amusement. Keep an eye on this as we will be adding new goodies to the list throughout the day.

[Thanks to everyone who sent these in]

Continue reading April Fools' Day roundup: the big toys, the small toys and the cats

April Fools' Day roundup: the big toys, the small toys and the cats originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/01/april-fools-day-roundup-the-big-toys-the-small-toys-and-the-c/

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If You Bought "Steve Jobs: One Last Thing" You'll Like "Hitler: A Career", Says iTunes Genius (Updated) [Apple]

Steve Wozniak just sent me this hilarious screenshot, from the wife of one of his friends. It's from the Genius Recommendations in the movie section of the iTunes Store: If you bought the PBS documentary Steve Jobs: One Last Thing you will like Hitler: A Career. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/VKwDy2_fMps/if-you-bought-steve-jobs-one-last-thing-youll-like-hitler-a-career-says-itunes-genius

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Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration?

Rafael Rivera and Paul Thurrott have posted a second look at some of the early changes which have surface in Windows 8 milestone 3. First there was the restyled Welcome Screen, and now it appears that Microsoft is toying with bringing the Ribbon UI to Explorer.

The Ribbon, like in Microsoft Word and Excel, is context-aware, adding tabs for specific tasks which apply to the folder you're viewing -- such as library or picture management. You can also make out two new buttons in the status bar, which allow you to change the current folder's view style.

It's clear from all the placeholder images and repeated elements that this is very much a work in progress, but featuring the Ribbon more prominently in Windows 8 would certainly be a logical progression for Microsoft. It's slowly become more ubiquitous, moving beyond Office and into Wordpad, Paint, and several of the Windows Live Essentials applications.

There's more to the screenshots than the Ribbon UI, however. Our friend Long Zheng has noted two interesting elements in the images: Web sharing and sync (image after the break). That would likely mean users will be able to quickly upload files to SkyDrive and synchronize using Live Mesh right from Explorer in Windows 8. That's not a total surprise considering many of the earliest leaked images of Windows 8 showed Windows Live integration on the desktop.

Continue reading Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration?

Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/03/windows-8-explorer-to-feature-ribbon-ui-skydrive-and-mesh-integ/

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Helicopter Parents Can Put Their Silhouette On a Rattle and Never Be Apart From Their Kids [Kids]

If you can't bear the thought of not being part of your child's life for even a second, you can now get your face carved into a stylish baby rattle so they can never escape your presence. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/BPzraAw3ruw/helicopter-parents-can-put-their-silhouette-on-a-rattle-and-never-be-apart-from-their-kids

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Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus review

The year was 1999. I was pondering all too carefully what kind of threads I'd be wearing come the new school year. But all I could really think about was exactly how much of my styling budget would be blown on some antediluvian piece of technology that -- in my mind -- was no longer necessary due to the invention of the internet. That hunk was Texas Instruments' TI-83 Plus. So far as I could understand it, the "Plus" meant that it had a few extra megabytes of RAM; why you needed loads of RAM in a graphing calculator, I had no idea. At $119.99, it was the most expensive purchase I made leaving middle school, and now that I've had well over a decade to toy with it, it's about time I sat down and gave it a proper review. Join me after the break, won't you?

Gallery: Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus gallery

Continue reading Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus review

Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus review originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/01/texas-instruments-ti-83-plus-review/

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Opera 11.10 includes improved power saving features

Just recently, the Opera 11.10 release candidate was made available for download. It brought a handful of important feature additions -- like HTML5 File API support and IMAP enhancements -- and loads of bugfixes. Nestled in amongst the other details in the Opera team's announcement is one more interesting tidbit: Opera 11.10 offers improved battery optimizations.

The timing here is certainly interesting, what with Microsoft's recent report on how much power the top five Web browsers consume. In its findings, Opera 11 was fairly low in the standings. While we've not seen any new benchmarks yet, we're curious to know whether the Opera 11.10 RC offers any significant gains.

If you're running Opera 11.10 on a laptop, let us know if you're seeing an improvement in your battery life while browsing!

Opera 11.10 includes improved power saving features originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/opera-11-10-includes-improved-power-saving-features/

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Check Out Cutting-Edge TMNT Robotics Circa 1992 [Video]

1992 was a simpler time. Bill Clinton was elected, The Bodyguard came out, Windows 3.1 was released. It was also a time when puppetry and animatronics still had a place in fantasy films. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/59bGMCwCTEU/check-out-cutting-edge-tmnt-robotics-circa-1992

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Windows 8 welcome screen revealed, looks very Metro

It's not really a secret the Microsoft had planned on bringing bits of Windows Phone 7's Metro UI to Windows 8, but we haven't seen a lot of really telling evidence. However, with the Windows 8 milestone 3 build now available to Microsoft Connect partners, it was really just a matter of time before we started to get a peek.

Thanks to Rafael Rivera and Paul Thurrott, we've now had a glimpse at what the Windows 8 welcome screen will look like. As you can see, the typography is very Metro indeed. Within Windows also mentions that the background image is customizable, and we're wondering if it might not pull from your current Windows 8 theme. This particular shot shows the CTRL + ALT + DELETE login option, but we imagine you'll still be able to log in by clicking your account picture tile as well.

Rivera and Thurrott also mention that the tablet version of the welcome screen will allow you to log in by swiping a pattern on the screen -- as you can on current Android devices.

Windows 8 welcome screen revealed, looks very Metro originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/windows-8-welcome-screen-revealed-looks-very-metro/

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Expedia adds to Google's EU antitrust woes, decision expected after Easter

Google's position as the dominant search engine doesn't come without a price. Smaller search sites have already tapped on the EU Commission's door to register their complaints about how they are ranked, and Microsoft has also let its feelings on the matter be known. Now, we can add the Redmond spin-off, Expedia, to that list of sore losers disgruntled firms. The travel search site claims it has specific details outlining how the search giant has violated European anti-competitive laws. A Google spokesperson issued a statement saying "We haven't seen the complaint yet, but we've been working to explain how our business works, cooperating with the European Commission since this investigation began." The EU Competition Commissioner says a decision will be made after Easter, at which point Mountain View will either be charged, or the investigation will be dropped. If only that were the end of its EU troubles.

Expedia adds to Google's EU antitrust woes, decision expected after Easter originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 31 Mar 2012 13:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/31/expedia-google-eu-antitrust/

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