Engadget Mobile Podcast 151: IFA Edition – 09.01.2012

If one Engadget Mobile Podcaster is talking about phones, but she's at Burning Man, does she make a sound? Brad, Dana, and Jon explore these and other questions surrounding a technology conference in Berlin that's all the rage this week. Don't get left behind.

Hosts: Brad Molen
Guest: Dana Wollman, Joe Fingas
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

02:50 - Samsung Galaxy Note II unveiled: 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, Android Jelly Bean and more S Pen functionality
04:40 - Samsung Galaxy Note II: what's changed?
09:36 - Samsung Galaxy Note II: hands-on with the new S Pen-toting phablet (video)
18:00 - HTC Desire X hands-on (video)
21:06 - Samsung announces ATIV S, a 4.8-inch Windows Phone 8 device
36:30 - HP unveils Envy x2 laptop / tablet hybrid: 11-inch IPS screen, NFC and pen support, arriving later this year
45:22 - Samsung announces EK-GC100 Galaxy Camera with Android Jelly Bean, massive 4.8-inch display, 21x zoom, WiFi and 4G connectivity (hands-on)
54:10 - Exclusive: Motorola Droid RAZR M 4G LTE gets hands-on treatment (video)
01:02:20 - Is Motorola announcing an Intel Medfield-powered phone on September 18th?

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Engadget Mobile Podcast 151: IFA Edition - 09.01.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sennheiser unveils HDVA 600 analog headphone amp, asks for $1,600

Sennheiser unveils HDVA 600 analog headphone amp, asks for $1,600

Along with a few IFA 2012 announcements, Sennheiser peeled back the wraps from its HDVA 600 headphone amp, an analog flavor of the previously unveiled HDVD 800. Like its sibling, the freshly revealed hardware sports a glass panel for peeking at its innards and an anodized aluminum exterior, but leaves the digital inputs behind. While the 800 carries a hefty $2,000 price tag, the 600 will set customers back a smaller -- but still substantial -- sum of $1,600. Both units are tailored for the likes of Senn's flagship HD 800 headphones, so they should easily be able to drive cans that require up to 300-ohms. The pair won't be available in the US until later this fall, but in the meantime, you can breeze past the break for specs and more details in the press release.

Continue reading Sennheiser unveils HDVA 600 analog headphone amp, asks for $1,600

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Sennheiser unveils HDVA 600 analog headphone amp, asks for $1,600 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Early benchmark scores are in for the Sony Xperia T, TX and V

We've already benchmarked the Galaxy Note II and the ZTE Grand X IN at IFA, and as the week wraps up we're circling back to test the mettle of other handsets announced here in Berlin. We ran mobile benchmarks on Sony's new flagship Xperia T, the Xperia TX (the US version of the T) and the LTE-enabled Xperia V. All three devices pack dual-core Snapdragon S4 Krait processors clocked at 1.5GHz, and they're currently running Ice Cream Sandwich -- though a Jelly Bean update is reportedly on the way. Meet us past the break for a first look at how these smartphones stack up.

Continue reading Early benchmark scores are in for the Sony Xperia T, TX and V

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Early benchmark scores are in for the Sony Xperia T, TX and V originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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50 Cent talks up two new headphones in his SMS Audio line (video)

50 Cent adds two more headphones to his SMS Audio line video

We'd be lying if we told you that we fully expected to be hanging out with 50 Cent when we traveled around the world to Berlin, but earlier today we grabbed a moment with the Queens-based emcee to discuss his venture into the world of high-end headphones. In particular, we wanted to ask how his products, including the new Street On-Ears and Street DJ Pros, stack against some better known rapper-endorsed audio technology -- namely Dr. Dre's gimmicky Beats and his tie-in with HTC.

For starters, 50 was keen to stress that this is no plain endorsement: Studio Master Sound (SMS) Audio is his company and he's invested in it. Regarding the products themselves, he reassured us that they have nothing in common with the Beats / HTC marketing about bringing hardware and software together to create some kind of eardrum wizardry. Instead, he just wants to bring together all-round qualities like durability, comfort, and "professionally tuned" 40mm drivers, alongside fresher styling than you'd get from companies like Bose or Sennheiser.

The booth at IFA was too hectic for us to give the new 'phones a fair run-through, and in fact 50 Cent didn't have a great deal to say about them at this point either. As you'll see in the video after the break, he preferred to hold up his slightly older flagship wireless set, called SYNC, as evidence that SMS Audio has audiophile credentials to justify its high price points. Speaking of which, we're not sure how much the latest models will cost or when they'll become available, but for guidance the SYNC headphones cost $400 while regular Street wired headphones will set you back around $250.

Continue reading 50 Cent talks up two new headphones in his SMS Audio line (video)

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50 Cent talks up two new headphones in his SMS Audio line (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 3pm ET!

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 3pm ET!

A giant man is burning somewhere in the desert, and Myriam is currently gazing upon him. In her absence, Brad will be joined by fellow Engadgeteers Dana Wollman and Jon Fingas to discuss the latest happenings at IFA (as well as the rest of the world). We've got a lot to discuss in a very short period of time, so the ratio of mobile geekery / minute is going to be pretty dang high. Join us at 3pm!

August 31, 2012 3:00 PM EDT

Continue reading Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 3pm ET!

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Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 3pm ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 3pm ET!

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 3pm ET!

A giant man is burning somewhere in the desert, and Myriam is currently gazing upon him. In her absence, Brad will be joined by fellow Engadgeteers Dana Wollman and Jon Fingas to discuss the latest happenings at IFA (as well as the rest of the world). We've got a lot to discuss in a very short period of time, so the ratio of mobile geekery / minute is going to be pretty dang high. Join us at 3pm!

August 31, 2012 3:00 PM EDT

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Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 3pm ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on

See that? It's not your daddy's flip hybrid tablet -- it's the new dual-display laptop prototype from the fine people at Samsung. The body of the notebook is certainly in the vein of a MacBook Air or ultrabook, with slim metal slides that taper off into a point. The palm rests, meanwhile, are a brushed metal, with black chiclet-style keys above. On the bezel above the screen is a camera.

The magic, however, doesn't happen until you close the thing, turning on a display on the hood. Yep, it's yet another attempt to capitalize on Windows 8's dual-nature. Inside, you've got a fully functioning laptop and outside you've a touchscreen tablet that, yes, utilizes everyone's favorite proprietary stylus, the S-pen, and there's also a rear facing camera on the outside. Perhaps it's all that functionality packed inside, but this prototype is certainly heavier than your standard ultrabook, and unlike most systems, a lot of that weight is located in the display -- we're sure there's a fair amount of internals located up there.

This being a prototype, the Samsung rep we spoke with had no clue on what such a device might cost or when it might come to market -- or even if this thing will ever see the light of day, so don't get your dual-hopes up just yet. The hybrid was sitting right next to the 2,560 x 1,440 Series 9 prototype we recently scoped out and in front of a wall of concepts that explore the brave new world of elastic form factors to their fullest. Check out a video and some notes on the other devices after the jump.

Continue reading Samsung's dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on

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Samsung's dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on

See that? It's not your daddy's flip hybrid tablet -- it's the new dual-display laptop prototype from the fine people at Samsung. The body of the notebook is certainly in the vein of a MacBook Air or ultrabook, with slim metal slides that taper off into a point. The palm rests, meanwhile, are a brushed metal, with black chiclet-style keys above. On the bezel above the screen is a camera.

The magic, however, doesn't happen until you close the thing, turning on a display on the hood. Yep, it's yet another attempt to capitalize on Windows 8's dual-nature. Inside, you've got a fully functioning laptop and outside you've a touchscreen tablet that, yes, utilizes everyone's favorite proprietary stylus, the S-pen, and there's also a rear facing camera on the outside. Perhaps it's all that functionality packed inside, but this prototype is certainly heavier than your standard ultrabook, and unlike most systems, a lot of that weight is located in the display -- we're sure there's a fair amount of internals located up there.

This being a prototype, the Samsung rep we spoke with had no clue on what such a device might cost or when it might come to market -- or even if this thing will ever see the light of day, so don't get your dual-hopes up just yet. The hybrid was sitting right next to the 2,560 x 1,440 Series 9 prototype we recently scoped out and in front of a wall of concepts that explore the brave new world of elastic form factors to their fullest. Check out a video and some notes on the other devices after the jump.

Continue reading Samsung's dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on

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Samsung's dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mophie readies Galaxy S III Juice Packs, coming very soon

If you thought Mophie was planning to keep its smartphone Juice Packs exclusively Apple-based -- we'd have probably agreed with you. But then we got to take a look at this pair of cases crafted for Samsung's Galaxy S III. Yep, the battery-packing cover (which looks likely to fit all the current iterations) promises to give "over double the battery life" of your un-augmented handset. This was just a brief peek -- but expect the (as-yet unpriced) cases to appear in stores around the end of October, early November.

Continue reading Mophie readies Galaxy S III Juice Packs, coming very soon

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Mophie readies Galaxy S III Juice Packs, coming very soon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung smuggles new Series 9 prototype into IFA: 2,560 x 1,440 on a matte display (hands-on)

Well, this snuck up on us. Close to the end of the first official open-floor day at IFA, Samsung managed to eke out yet another product we want to get our hands on, soonish. This 13-inch Series 9 WQHD Ultrabook beams Windows 8 on 2,560 x 1,440 display (oh yes), making a visible leap beyond the existing Series 9 13-incher, which sticks to a more typical 1,600 x 900. Better still, the surface of the screen has a gentle matte finish. The engineering sample arrived in the Samsung spokesperson's hands just seven days ago. The resolution matches ASUS' high-grade gamer monitor in pixels, if falling ever so slightly short of the Retina Display on Apple's newest MacBook model. There was no news on what the manufacturer will call the new display tech, further specifications, or even whether this was just a proof of concept -- the device was chilling in the corner of the electronics giant's innovation gallery. Hopefully, Samsung won't hold out on those details for much longer. Take a look for yourself in our hands-on video after the break.

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

Continue reading Samsung smuggles new Series 9 prototype into IFA: 2,560 x 1,440 on a matte display (hands-on)

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Samsung smuggles new Series 9 prototype into IFA: 2,560 x 1,440 on a matte display (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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