Intel's just released its Computex press release, which beyond detailing its new Oak Trail and Canoe Lake platforms, reveals that Acer is about to take a bite out of MeeGo. Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci is quoted saying that the company plans to run MeeGo on its future Atom-based tablets and netbooks. There's no word on using the Intel / Nokia OS on its phones, but we'll be keeping an ear to the ground on that. It's pretty ironic, huh, that Acer was rumored to launch Chrome OS netbooks at the show, but now we're hearing of this MeeGo love affair. Full Intel press release is after the break.

Continue reading Future Acer netbooks and tablets to run MeeGo

Future Acer netbooks and tablets to run MeeGo originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You're really coming full circle at this year's Computex, aren't ya, Intel? It was at the Taipei show two years ago that Chipzilla introduced the first Atom netbooks, and though it's taken awhile, the company is finally announcing dual-core Atom processors for the category (not to mention slightly changing its party line on the power of the sub-laptops). While the details on the speeds and feeds of the new Pine Trail N series CPUs are being kept under wraps for now, we've been told that they'll support DDR3 RAM and provide comparable performance to the dual-core desktop Atom processors, yet still maintain similar battery life to current netbooks. Intel still plans to keep these Atom chips in 10-inch systems, and told us that users will see the speed benefits in multitasking and browsing, rather than in HD playback and gaming.

But netbooks aren't only about to get faster, they're also going to go on a serious diet. Intel also unveiled its new "Canoe Lake" innovation platform for netbooks, which is what's behind that 14mm thick machine pictured above. The platform can support single- and dual-core Atom processors, but provides significant cooling to allow for 50 percent thinner systems. However, "Canoe Lake" is merely a reference guideline for other manufacturers to use, so there's no telling what the machines that use this could end up looking like. The dual-core Atom for netbooks goes into production next week and should be shipping in netbooks before the holiday season. And as for that super thin laptop you're inevitably still peering at? Intel expects its partners to use the platform and have products out by the end of this year. We don't know about you, but the pictures below may keep us salivating until then.

Continue reading Intel boosts netbooks with dual-core Atom, slims 'em down with 'Canoe Lake'

Intel boosts netbooks with dual-core Atom, slims 'em down with 'Canoe Lake' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Intel 'Oak Trail' is headed for tablets in early 2011

Intel 'Oak Trail' is headed for tablets in early 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's Moorestown platform was designed to make a home in tablets and other small form factors. The only problem: no Windows support. So—as expected—Intel's introducing Oak Trail: it's Moorestown with Windows, and will be out early 2011. More »



Intel Corporation - Microsoft Windows - Intel - Companies - Product Support

The bad news: Intel's new dual-core Atom processors won't be appreciably more powerful than what's in your netbook now. The good news: a Pine Trail netbook reference design Intel introduced today at Computex is only slightly thicker than an iPhone. More »



Central processing unit - Intel - Intel Corporation - Intel Atom - Hardware

For all its faults, the prime reason we panned Microsoft's Kin was price. Why buy a Kin when you could get a more capable iPhone, Palm Pre or Android device for the same price? This week, it seems someone at Best Buy HQ has seen the light. As of today, the brick-and-mortar electronics superstore has knocked $50 off the price of both handsets, making the Kin One free and the Kin Two cost only $50 on a two-year contract, with no mail-in rebates or other nonsense required. Now, if only do something about that $30 monthly data plan, your teen might finally have a vaguely compelling reason to pick one up.

[Thanks, Sean T.]

Best Buy now offering Kin One free, Kin Two for $50 on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 May 2010 23:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to a report in the Financial Times, Google is making a full-throated move away from Windows PCs for the company's workforce. Apparently the big G is now giving staffers the option of a Mac or Linux rig as an alternative to a Windows computer. The FT article suggests that the move is spurred on by security concerns -- some specifically related to a flurry of attacks against the company which emanated from China, a country Google has recently been at odds with over censorship. Although security could be at issue, some of the employees interviewed for the article seem to suggest the changes -- which mean staffers require CIO approval for a Windows PC -- might actually be geared towards bringing Chrome OS into the Googleplex full-throttle. "A lot of it is an effort to run things on Google product," said one unnamed source, "They want to run things on Chrome." Another employee is quoted as saying that, "Before the security, there was a directive by the company to try to run things on Google products. It was a long time coming." Regardless of the reasoning behind the move, if Google is moving the company to Macs and Linux instead of the world's most popular computing platform, it's certainly notable. We've reached out to both Microsoft and Google for comment, and will update you if and when we have word.

Google said to be moving away from Windows internally, Mac and Linux systems on tap instead originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 May 2010 22:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's no shortage of Motorola buzz going around lately -- thing is, nearly all of that buzz is focused on the Verizon side of the camp. What about the other six-odd national carriers in the States and Canada, five of which are using GSM? Well, for you guys, we submit this so-called XT502 -- a phone that may be codenamed "Greco" thanks to the naming of the image file found over in the Bluetooth SIG's certification directory. We can't gather much from the microscopic image the SIG is using, but they've kindly listed radio details, which indicates we can expect a triband HSPA setup working on the 850, 1900, and 2100MHz bands -- perfect for AT&T, Bell, Telus, and Rogers with a little dash of Europe thrown in for good measure. It'll also have WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, and AGPS; in other words, all the basics you expect on a modern Android device. No word on a release plan, but at least it'll be coming out with some totally legal Bluetooth, right?

Motorola XT502 another Android phone for North America? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 May 2010 22:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, that sure was quick. Gary Coleman only passed away three days ago, but already there's a tribute app waiting in the Android Market, ready and waiting to provoke little tears in those red-rimmed eyes of yours to spring out. More »



Android - Gary Coleman - Handhelds - Android Market - United States

Hey guys, just in case you didn't know, there's a crazy party going on this week out on the West Coast... a little something called D: All Things Digital. D (or D8 this time around) is a pretty wild schoozefest, where the cream of the crop hobnob and trade secrets -- but it's also a place where major news sometimes happens. One of the folks speaking at the event (besides Steve Ballmer, Mark Zuckerberg, and a slew of other major players) is a gentleman who goes by the name of Steve Jobs (he works at Apple). We're thinking he might have something fairly interesting to say, and if you didn't end up with a seat at the conference, that's okay -- we'll be there to bring you the news as it happens.

Things kick off around 6PM PT tomorrow (that's June 1st), so check out our liveblog landing page right here for the main event.

Note: We will -- of course -- be doing live coverage of other big names at the event, including Steve Ballmer (you can see our encounter with him last year over here). Stay tuned for announcements!

Steve Jobs to be interviewed at the D conference... and we'll be there live originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 May 2010 21:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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