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Roku's line of boxes have come a long way from being used only to stream Netflix, and now the company has announced a plan to take its talents to casual gaming. Naturally, the first app out of the gate this summer will be the wildly popular and increasingly ubiquitous Angry Birds . There's not a lot of details available yet, but we're told the gaming experience will be available on a new player launching this summer, while whether or not any of the existing Roku hardware will get any gaming action remains to be seen. Roku CEO Anthony Wood is very excited about the company's gaming prospects saying "Just as we were the first to enable Netflix to stream instantly to the TV, we intend to be the catalyst for transforming the way people play casual games-starting with Angry Birds-on the biggest screen in the home". The rest of the available information is in the press release after the break and while we wouldn't bet against the upstart media streamer maker, i...

Activision on Tuesdayannounced Call of Duty Elite, a new social network-style experience that will allow Call of Duty players to interact with one another in an entirely different way. The social network has three pillars: connect, compete, and improve. Connect will allow users to compete against friends, join groups, find players with similar interests, and enter tournaments. Activision will provide both web and mobile interfaces for managing your Call of Duty information from multiple devices. Compete will allow players to enter events and competitions with other players that have similar abilities, and Activision promises real world and in-game prizes. Improve, will provide users with a strategy guide to help them bump their gaming skills by following their performance and ongoing statistics. The average Call of Duty player spends 58 minutes per day playing multiplayer, Activision Publishing CEO, Eric Hirshberg, said. That is more than the average Facebook user spends per day on Fac...

We know many US Cellular customers have been waiting for this day, because after missing its rumored launch , the HTC Merge has arrived and is ready to meet your pocket. As expected, it's selling for $250 on contract (before a $100 mail-in rebate) and marks the CDMA provider's first Android world phone. To refresh your memory, this QWERTY slider features a 3.8-inch WVGA touchscreen, a 5 megapixel camera and runs Froyo. Alongside this release, the carrier announced it's getting the LG Genesis on June 9th. If you'll remember, this is the refashioned enV Touch that US Cellular picked up after Verizon dropped the ball. It's also going for $250 on contract (before a $100 mail-in rebate) and true to its legacy, the clamshell provides a full keyboard. Priced equally, it appears QWERTY-lovers on US Cellular have quite a decision ahead. What a happy conundrum, indeed. Follow the break for the PR heralding these arrivals. Continue reading HTC Merge now shipping from US Cell...

If you're looking to fully leverage the namesake feature of the EVO 3D , Sprint is doing its best to ensure you're not left wanting -- all while keeping your coin flowing its way. First, it's bundling HTC Watch and Blockbuster On Demand, which will offer 3D titles (alongside the 2D fare) and rental prices ranging between $3 and $4. Like we've seen in RadioShack's advert , the 3D version of The Green Hornet is pre-loaded on the phone's microSD card, and the Now Network is also bundling a demo of Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem 3D . If that whets your appetite for three-dimensional playtime (and you've still got expendable income), you might check out Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles and GT Racing Motor Academy -- both $5 at launch in the pre-loaded Gameloft Storefront. For all the bloat they pile on, at least the stores bring decent eye candy. Hop the break for a (decidedly two-dimensional) press release. Continue reading Sprint balloons it...

Earlier this month we were rather unimpressed with Nokia's rebranding of the N8 Symbian smartphone -- well, it seems someone took note. Because the promo video for the N8 Pink is anything but unimaginative. In fact, it's downright frightening. The video features a series of contorted Barbies dolls, prancing about in Lady Gaga-esque undergarments, with accompaniment by British girl group Sugarbabes. This is one marketing campaign we won't soon forget. For a glimpse at the disturbingly enthralling cotton-candy romp, check out the video after the break. [Thanks, Dillan] Continue reading Nokia N8 Pink gets creepy dismembered doll treatment, even more pink (video) Nokia N8 Pink gets creepy dismembered doll treatment, even more pink (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 21:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

TDK is taking those transparent OLED screens we saw back in October and putting them into mass production. The 2.4-inch, QVGA (240 x 320) UEL476 display has a transmittance of 40 percent, but obscures light passing through the front so others won't be able to read your text messages from behind. Obviously, these aren't going to find their way into high-end Android handsets, but they may have a home in fashion phones like Lenovo's S800 . And, you know, they seem perfect for SMS addicts who can't stop their thumbs from flying even while walking . Check out the full PR after the break. Continue reading TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

We'd had some indication that both the Motorola Droid 2 and Droid Pro would be getting upgraded to Gingerbread in the near future, but we can't say we expected the Droid Pro to be the first of the pair to make the jump. As evidenced by the screenshot above, however, that's now happened, with at least some lucky owners of the portrait QWERTY device receiving the OTA update -- complete with an updated version of Blur, of course. Unfortunately, it's not quite clear how widespread the rollout is just yet, but it seems you can rest assured that it's not just a matter of time before it hits your device. Let us know in comments if you've already received it. [Thanks, K] Gingerbread update begins rolling out to Motorola Droid Pro originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Are you sick of hearing from Lodsys ? We know devs are, but the rather outspoken patent troll is at it again, hitting the blog to defend its good name. Hidden among today's posts is an announcement that the firm is taking the next steps with its accusations, filing a lawsuit against some of the developers it previously targeted and, get this, blaming Apple. It explains: "Lodsys chose to move its litigation timing to an earlier date than originally planned, in response to Apple's threat, in order to preserve its legal options." We're not sure which developers are targeted by this suit, specifically, but the firm has promised a $1,000 payment to each dev, "if it turns out that the scope of Apple's existing license rights apply to fully license you with respect to our claim relating to your App on Apple iOS." Devs may be tempted to spend that promised gift on a well-deserved vacation (or a WWDC conference pass ), but with layers of LLCs protecting the m...

At the turn of the millennium, three men formed Danger Incorporated, which went on to create a smartphone perfectly positioned for its time. Those men eventually wound up at Google ... after one of them founded Android . But what became of the T-Mobile Sidekick, their stylish swiveling phone? After an illustrious life filled with fame , fortune and failure , the Hiptop met its end today. Today, Microsoft and T-Mobile will shut down the Danger servers for good , leaving existing handsets without the push email and cloud services that once made them indispensable to the teens, tweens and businesspeople who used them day in and day out -- leaving the Android-powered Sidekick 4G to fan the remaining embers of the brand. Join us after the break for a brief video celebration of Danger's pop culture phenomenon, and head on over to Geekwire for a brief history of the iconic device. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got a little water in our eye. Continue reading Danger's iconi...

Looking for another way to add some WiDi to your TV? Then you can now also add Belkin's ScreenCast TV adapter to the list of options that are available or imminent. It recently turned up on Belkin's own website with a "coming soon" message, and it's now just hit the FCC, which could mean that "soon" is actually really soon. As for the device itself, it's about as straightforward as you'd expect, with just an HDMI port and some RCA inputs 'round back, plus support for full 1080p video and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound streamed from a WiDi-capable Windows 7 laptop. Look for this one to set you back $129 when it lands at retail. Belkin's ScreenCast TV WiDi adapter hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Last year, BBC revisited its acclaimed Planet Earth series of nature documentaries with a Special Edition Blu-ray set, and now BBC America shop has revealed the set will also be released on this side of the pond. While the discs shipped last fall in the UK and were region free, they were encoded in a 1080i50 format that most US Blu-ray players (most notably the PlayStation 3) don't support. The new special editions fix one of the quirks of the original releases by opting for two 50GB BD50 discs instead of four 25GB platters, and adding new high definition extras including audio commentaries and options to isolate either the music or sound effects. There's still more to see however, with content from Planet Earth's Greatest Moments, Snow Leopard: Beyond the Myth and a sneak peek at the upcoming Frozen Planet project on the discs. The set also includes the standard def extras omitted from the original high definition releases, that consists of several Making Of featurettes...

To say that experts generally don't agree about whether cellphone radiation can fry your brain is an understatement of massive proportions , but amazingly enough, the World Health Organization has come to a pseudo-conclusion. A group of 31 scientists from 14 countries working in the org's International Agency for Research on Cancer says that -- based on a survey of the literature -- those electromagnetic fields are as likely to be potentially carcinogenic as 266 other worrisome substances, including DDT pesticide and the exhaust from your automobile. Mind you, the WHO isn't saying that cellphones cause cancer, as today's decision is merely the latest call for more research, but the fact that respected scientists even claim that a correlation should be considered will probably be enough to stir the pot . Continue reading Cellphones are dangerous/not dangerous: the WHO changes its mind Cellphones are dangerous/not dangerous: the WHO changes its mind originally appear...

Viewbook is an online platform aimed at helping designers and artists share their work in good-looking, easy-to-use portfolios. You can even sell your work through the service. Now the Dutch team behind the service has launched an iPad app . Tablets such as the iPad are great for taking out and using to shareportfolioswith potential clients, and the Viewbook app is designed to make that process as easy as possible. Integrating with your Viewbook account (nay, requiring a Viewbook account), you can view and manage your work much more easily than with Apples built-in gallery. As its not tied to iPhoto, images can be rearranged and new portfolios created on the fly all while looking positively gorgeous. Images can be shared right from the app by email and can also be downloaded for offline access in case you cant get a data connection when you meet that all-important client-to-be. Thats not to say that its quite perfect. It would be great to be able to upload new images right from you...

It's been available on the iPad since that device launched, and now Apple has finally brought its iWork suite of productivity apps to the iPhone and iPod touch. That, of course, includes Keynote, Pages and Numbers, which are all now universal apps that run the same $9.99 apiece as their iPad-only predecessors -- current users can simply upgrade for free, thankfully. Head on past the break for the complete press release. Continue reading Apple brings iWork to iPhone and iPod touch Apple brings iWork to iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

If you're thinking this iPad audio breakout dock looks remarkably good considering its DIY origins, then you should know it wasn't put together by any old screwball with a soldering iron. Nope, this was made by Qubais "Reed" Ghazala, a very particular old screwball who's been blurring the lines between circuitry, music and art since the Summer of Love (that's 1967 on a normal calendar). His latest invention is all about getting pro-grade sound connections into and out of an iPad 2 -- much like an Alesis dock or Akai SynthStation , but with that special "I made this" charm and minimal price tag. Key ingredients include a Macally aluminium iPad stand and a 30-pin PodBreakout board. Hit the video after the break to get further instructions and hear Ghazala's "bottomless well of chance music" -- both come at your own risk. Continue reading DIY iPad music breakout gives pro-grade stage presence, mixes circuitry with art (video) DIY iPad mu...

Pantech has been AT&T's BFF for several years, but the two companies have never taken things a step further -- until now. Alluded to by an AT&T exec earlier this month, the Crossover will be the Korean manufacturer's first attempt at Android in the US and will be on sale June 5th for $70 with contract. We can't help but notice the similarities between the device you see above and the P8000 that cleared the FCC a few months back, but now we actually have some cold hard specs to go along with it. Packing a modest offering of Froyo, 3.1-inch touchscreen display, 3 megapixel camera, and a less-than-stellar 600MHz CPU, it's no Atrix 4G or Vega Racer . Despite the less-than-stellar features, it should fill an empty niche in AT&T's lineup quite well as a durable QWERTY slider with textured back and rubberized corners. You only have a few days to decide which kind of shock tests you'll put your new phone through, and you may find the press release (found ...

Had some doubts that Apple was heading skyward? Those doubts can now be put to rest. Apple has confirmed that it will be announcing iCloud on June 6th, what it's calling an "upcoming cloud services offering." That will be part of the keynote for this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, known to the cool kids as WWDC . This is, of course, where everyone has come to expect new iPhones to come to light, but this year we're thinking the focus will be more on software, and indeed Apple's event notice indicates that the big focus will be on Mac OS X Lion , as well as the next version of its mobile operating system, iOS 5. This is a decidedly non-Apple way to announce something new like iCloud, making us wonder what other surprises are in store. As ever you can find out as it happens here, live. Continue reading Apple to unveil iCloud, iOS 5 on Monday, June 6 Apple to unveil iCloud, iOS 5 on Monday, June 6 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 08...

Julian Assange may be held under house arrest in the English countryside, but that hasnt stopped his organisation continuing to leak information thatgovernmentsaround the world would rather you didnt hear. Today the Irish Independentnewspaperhas begun publication of 1903 new US Embassy cables which relate to Irelands foreign policy and domestic affairs, obtained from WikiLeaks . As you would expect, the language used in the cables is diplomatic, writes the newspaper. But sometimes the mask slips a little, giving a telling insight into how theUS State Department views Ireland, all set within the context of its own strategic interests. WikiLeaks has been publishing US diplomatic cables since 28 November 2010, although the publicity and controversy around them, and hence their impact, has declined over time. Perhaps thats why Assange chose to hook up with the Irish Independent, the countrys largest selling daily newspaper, for this release. The newspaper says that it established contact ...

Sure, all your friends are rocking Android 2.3. But hey, quit complaining AT&T Xperia X10 owners, everyone knows that eclair is way better than vanilla froyo . Android 2.1 update now available for AT&T Xperia X10 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 06:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

A new research report by Research2Guidance suggest that Apple is still the undisputed king of mobile application downloads, accounting for 59% of all application downloads across 58 app stores in the first quarter of 2011. Despite its dominance, Apples app market share has declined by 22% within three years as Googles Android platform became widely adopted by a number of smartphone vendors with the mobile operating system powering hundreds of smartphone handsets. Apples App Store wasnt the first application marketplace for smartphones,launchingwhen independent stores like GetJar and Handango were already facilitating downloads to mobile handsets, but when it did become available for iPhone owners, it immediately gained 81% app market share in 2008, with only 18 application stores available to users at that time. In 2009 and 2010, Apple found itself joined in the app market by a number of companies trying to emulate its success. OEMs, OS Vendors and MNOs all launched their own app stor...

Statistics Canada has issued the results of a survey of Canadian Internet use, and in 2010 the nations western-most province, British Columbia, had the highest penetration of households with Internet access in the country. The results of the survey also illustrated that approximately 8 out of 10 households in Canada had Internet access in 2010, with British Columbia homes sitting at approximately 84 percent while the lowest penetration came from New Brunswick at 70 percent. How Statistics Canada defined the criteria of home Internet access is listed on their website as follows: The Home Internet access rate is the proportion of households with access to the Internet from home. The Home high-speed access rate is the proportion of households with a self-reported high-speed connection to access the Internet from home. The survey also revealed that the majority of Canadians used multiple devices to gain Internet access in 2010, such as mobile phones and tablet computers. Still, desktop co...

While we eagerly await Nokia's first Mango device , millions of others ( we're told ) have been patiently anticipating shipments of the first Symbian Anna smartphones. Well, today's the day, good sir. Nokia just loosed its 4-inch X7 media slab and E6 portrait QWERTY with 326ppi display into the shipping lanes. Look for the E6 worldwide while the X7 will skip the US carriers ( as expected ) targeting the friendlier Symbian climates of Europe, Eurasia, China, India and other countries around AsiaPac. Huzzah? Nokia X7 and E6 Symbian Anna phones start shipping into obsolescence originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

As part of its keynote at Computex today, Intel unveiled a pair of new sleep-related technologies, though funnily enough, neither of them is particularly boring. Smart Connect checks up periodically on web apps you have open while your computer is in sleep mode -- meaning that email clients and in-browser web apps like Twitter and Facebook will update themselves without the need for you to flip the computer on in full. Updates will be ready and waiting for you when you get back. Rapid Start is a new hibernation mode that can resume within 5 to 6 seconds and can also keep the state alive with zero power. Though, admittedly, that doesn't look like it can be maintained for too long, the hibernation itself can keep your computer going for up to 30 days. Pretty neat stuff. It's all coming to Sandy Bridge laptops with Windows 7 soon, with widespread availability promised by the holidays. Intel Smart Connect and Rapid Start technologies unveiled, coming by the holidays originally ap...

The image above is not a mockup. What you're looking at is a screen grab from the Video Game section of Target's online storefront proudly touting "free shipping" on a $299.99 Xbox 360 250GB console with Kinect bundle. Unfortunately, your pulse-quickened click will be met with the existing $399.99 price tag at checkout. So what's going on here? Are retailers gearing up for price drops on the 250GB Kinect bundle ahead of E3 or did Target's arts and charts department just make a mistake? E3 Expo kicks off June 7th, so it won't be long until we found out either way. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Xbox 360 250GB Kinect bundle dropping to $299.99 ahead of E3? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 01:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink Cheap Arse Gamer | Target | Email this | Comments

Just before Intel's keynote at Computex , we decided to stop by at the chip maker's busy booth to see what it has up its sleeves. Luckily, we spotted a couple of Keeley Lake proof-of-concept convertible laptops, which are here to demonstrate what can be achieved using Cedar Trail processors. As you can see, the 12.1-inch screen sits on a swivel hinge, thus allowing users transform this fairly slim laptop into a tablet within seconds. Oh, you can also use the built-in Wireless Display technology to stream some sweet HD action over the air, provided that you have compatible devices. Alas, Intel says there are no commercial plans for this particular device, so hopefully someone will pick up this design. Gallery: Intel's convertible Keeley Lake concept laptop shows off Cedar Trail, we go hands-on Intel's convertible Keeley Lake concept laptop shows off Cedar Trail, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 00:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for ...

MSI has snuck a couple of new tablets into Computex , which we've naturally dug up, dusted off, and covered in fingerprints. The WindPad Enjoy 10 is a 10-inch Android Gingerbread slate with relatively humble specs -- 1024 x 768 resolution, 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, and a 27.3WHr battery -- but also a very modest asking price of $299. It comes with a 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A8 (single core) processor that's said to be able to play back 1080p video, and at least one of the dual 2 megapixel cameras should be able to record in 720p as well. Its smaller sibling, the Enjoy 7, spans 800 x 480 pixels across a 7-inch expanse and has a smaller 17.3WHr battery, but is otherwise identical. We're promised an even lower price point for this smaller tablet, with both Enjoy models expected to begin mass production in July and hit the States in earnest either that month or soon thereafter. Releases in Europe and other nations are also planned shortly after the US gets a first bite of these in...

Even if your sites content is up to scratch, Google will penalize your website if youve got too many inactive users subscribed to a newsletter with a reply address from the same domain name, LockerGnomes Jake Ludington reports after investigating his own sites drop in search traffic. Google is now using the information it gleans from its Gmail users to improve its spam filtering functionality to penalize accompanying sites in its search listings. Even if you follow best practices for email marketing, Ludingtons report says, youre still likely to be in trouble. If you have a high number of legitimate subscribers who dont open your emails regularly, your site is likely to end up in the search engines spam bin. The good news is that the problem can be fixed. Most providers of email marketing services, such as Aweber and Mailchimp , provide you with detailed information on which subscribers are opening your emails regularly and which are letting them gather dust or just deleting them wit...

My Five is a small web app by Kyle Bragger , the man behind popular design social sharing site Forrst , that has you make up a list of just five people you would follow on Twitter if you were restricted to that number. One of the greatest things about My Five is the number of tears it has the potential to produce, in the vein of our own Qwitter . If you dont want to offend anyone, use overly flippant comments that ensure anyone who missed the list is relieved they werent included, like so: Like every good app in this class, My Five has a leaderboard, so you who people wouldnt want to do without the most. So far the results are the typical Twitterati, featuring the likes of Jack Dorsey and Robert Scoble in top spots. Its a tough job for anyone to get their following list down to just five people particularly for those of us who are quite picky about our follows already. Can you do it?

If you ache to get your hands on the BlackBerry Bold Touch and lack any semblance of patience, RIM's recently leaked simulator offers an opportunity to vicariously manhandle its upcoming creation -- all from the comfort of your Windows computer. Although the software isn't without quirks (as evidenced above), the 177MB download includes system v6.1.0.55 -- more commonly known as BlackBerry 7 OS . The functionality is rather robust, and we happily took the web browser for a quick drive around the block. It provided a pleasant rendering of our sister-site Autoblog , but the simulator started sputtering once we approached our own domain. Perhaps you'll have better luck. So, if you're suitably equipped and a wee bit curious, you can start kicking these tires by following the source. [Thanks, Zaoist] Leaked BlackBerry Bold Touch simulation offers tire-kickers a bumpy joyride originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 30 May 2011 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for...

The bottom of the 2009-2011 model white MacBooks has a rubber panel attached to it. In some cases people have found that the rubber panel would begin to separate from the bottom of the MacBook due to an issue with the glue used. Apple has posted a support document stating that they have acknowledged the issue and will now replace the bottom part of any white Macbook that exhibits the problem. The replacement includes a new bottom case, screws, a philips head screwdriver and instructions, or you can visit an Apple Retail Store with an appointment to have them replace it. The program does not extend the standard warranty coverage and applies to any affected MacBooks for two years from the purchase date. This means that you should be able to get the bottom panel replaced even if youre out of warranty by as much as a year. 9to5mac , Image