Tag Archives: ThisIsTheModemWorld

Distro Issue 61: Acer aims high with its Iconia W510 Windows 8 hybrid

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Distro Issue 61 Acer aims high with its Iconia W510 Windows 8 hybrid

With the release of Windows 8 just around the corner, the arrivals of tablets and hybrids that are decked out with the aforementioned OS are also imminent. Sure, we've already seen a number of these, but up until now, we've yet to spend any quality time with the announced hardware. In this week's edition of our tablet magazine, though, we finally get to take one back to Engadget HQ for a detailed preview. We offer our thoughts on Acer's Iconia W510 -- a laptop / tablet hybrid that sets its sights on the premium end of the Windows 8 gadget spectrum. On the regular review front, we put the Canon EOS M and the Samsung Galaxy Note II through their paces before serving up in-depth analysis of each. Eyes-On climbs aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, Visualized gets electrified and Nest's Matt Rogers tells all in the Q&A. The weekend won't last forever, so jump down below to snag the latest issue before settling in for a little weekend R&R.

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Distro Issue 61: Acer aims high with its Iconia W510 Windows 8 hybrid originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is the Modem World: Give me the keys, I’ll drive!

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Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.

DNP This is the Modem World Give Me the Keys, I'll Drive!

"Give me that" I huffed, teeth clenched.

Snatching the iPhone from my friend's hands, I swiftly pulled up directions to The Grove despite the inadequacies of Apple's new Google Maps replacement. While I'd rather have the old Google Maps back, I was able to work around the quirks and get what I needed.

On Saturday, my fiancée and I sat down to watch a movie on Netflix. She simply handed the remote to me as she knew I'd have things set up in no time: I knew which activity to select on the Harmony One, to switch on the PS3 and how to search on the console's version of the Netflix app (each one is bizarrely different for some reason).

Yes, she could have gotten us there, but I'm a better driver. She would have used the Netflix app on our connected TV. It works, but it uses the TV's speakers and I need to watch things with glorious 5.1. Does she care? Not so much.

But she knows that I drive our tech better than she does and she's happy to leave it to me.

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This is the Modem World: Give me the keys, I'll drive! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Distro Issue 60: Infinitec’s rebirth gets Kickstarted in the Dubai desert

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Distro Issue 60 Infinitec's rebirth gets Kickstarted in the Dubai Desert

Another week has come to a close and that signals the arrival of a brand spanking new issue of our weekly e-magazine. This time out, Darren Murph makes the trek to the United Arab Emirates to chat with Ahmad Zahran about how crowd sourcing has jumpstarted his company, Infinitec, for a second time. We also pay a visit to to the Paris Auto Show to take a gander at the latest in transportation tech, while Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite and the Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G get the full review treatment. "Eyes-on" tackles a suitcase full of sound, "Weekly Stat" offers a look at data consumption amongst Android users and NVIDIA's Nick Stam tells all in the Q&A. Grab a spot in your favorite reading chair because the latest issue is just a few clicks away.

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Distro Issue 60: Infinitec's rebirth gets Kickstarted in the Dubai desert originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is the Modem World: Why are printers stuck in the 20th century?

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Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.

DNP This is the Modem World Why are printers stuck I'm the 20th century

There was a time -- early in my computing career -- that your average printer could output better results than any screen could. In the days before WYSIWYG word processors, we would guess what the printed product might look like and then let an Okidata monstrosity scream out ugly 5 x 7 dot matrix results.

When it worked, it worked well, and we were thrilled that our 16KB machines could make something real. A continuous ream of paper was fed into the printer and we'd happily tear the perforated pages apart like birthday gifts from the digital deities.

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This is the Modem World: Why are printers stuck in the 20th century? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Distro Issue 59: Boston’s DBC City Bike is putting a new spin on an old design

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Distro Issue 59 DBC City Bike is putting a new spin on an old design

As the summer comes to a close (as least north of the equator), temperatures are dropping and the leaves are beginning to change their hues. Leisurely strolls and bike rides that had become quite uncomfortable are options for relaxation once again. Speaking of bicycles, that's precisely where the cover story of this week's edition of our tablet mag focuses. Terrence O'Brien visits with Dan Sorger at his DBC City Bike workshop in Boston and discovers how -- with the help of designers, engineers, and medical professionals from institutions like MIT -- The Swift takes a beloved European-style bike and adapts it for American city dwellers. This week's "Hands-on" section circles the globe as we check in at the Tokyo Game Show and Nokia's HQ before returning in the States. On the review front, we put Sony's Xperia T and Xperia Tab as well as Vizio's all-in-one through their respective paces and offer our detailed impressions of each. Find yourself a spot on the porch and settle in before grabbing the latest issue via any of the options that lie down below.

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Distro Issue 59: Boston's DBC City Bike is putting a new spin on an old design originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is the Modem World: Why we fight

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Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.

This is the Modem World Why We Fight

I think I figured out why we love to argue about technology. It came to me via the wisdom of my mom, not surprisingly.

It started last Sunday, when I was at her house to mooch some lunch while helping her get photos off of her digital camera and onto a sharing site so she could, ahem, share them. She was complaining that younger generations won't have photo albums, those lovely, physical relics of days gone by that mother and son can pore over and share memories.

"But, we'll have Facebook Timelines," I replied, sheepishly.

She glared.

I glared back.

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This is the Modem World: Why we fight originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Distro Issue 57: Kindle Fire HD, iPhone 5 and Innovation Lab’s Mads Thimmer

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Distro Issue 57 Kindle Fire HD, iPhone 5 and Innovation Lab's Mads Thimmer

Last week, Amazon took the wraps off of its Kindle Fire HD. Claiming top billing in the latest issue of our slate-friendly publication, the new tablet gets the full review treatment from Engadget HQ. Does it pack enough punch to claim the Nexus 7's budget crown? You can rest assured we'll tackle that question and more. In case you were on a remote island a couple of days ago, Apple dedicated a few hours to the iPhone 5 with an event in chilly northern California. Our editors offer their thoughts on the proceedings and we snag a hands-on preview of the iOS 6-toting handset. If that doesn't wet your gadget whistle, Darren Murph recently spent some time going inside Innovation Lab with its co-founder, Mads Thimmer, chatting about a driving passion for what's next. Now that the week is over, cozy up in your favorite chair because this edition is hot off of the e-presses.

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Distro Issue 57: Kindle Fire HD, iPhone 5 and Innovation Lab's Mads Thimmer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is the Modem World: Can I pick my own set-top box, please?

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Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.

This is the Modem World: Can I pick my own set-top Box, Please

When I was a kid, my parents actually rented our home phones from the phone company. They were hard-wired to the wall -- no detachable RJ cables. The phones were heavy, and when you needed a new one, you would call the phone company and get in line. They would then come out in four to six weeks and install the new phone for you at your expense. If you wanted to move the phone to another room, the process was like calling an electrician: holes were drilled, ladders were scaled and money was spent.

The phone equipment itself was drab, heavy and came in your choice of two colors: boring and depressing. Answering machines were rare -- instead, you had to use expensive answering services staffed by cranky women from New Jersey.

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This is the Modem World: Can I pick my own set-top box, please? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is the Modem World: I’m giving up absolutely nothing

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Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.

DNP This is the Modem World I'm giving up absolutely nothing

She looked at me, then at my phone and back at me. She was not pleased. Her eyes darted around the restaurant. They surveyed the other husbands, boyfriends and fiancés: Were they too ignoring their dates, checking sports scores, texting their buddies? Is my husband a jerk or is this a social pandemic?

"What would happen if your phone didn't exist and you had to talk to me?"

"But I am talking to you."

"No, you're looking at your phone."

"Right now, I am saying words to you. How is it that I am not talking to you at this very moment?"

I wasn't going to win this with semantics. No, I lost the moment I decided it was an appropriate time to grab my phone. And, to be fair, I was being a jerk. We were at a nice dinner and I should be into her, not my email, sports scores or Reddit.

So I put the phone away. I promised to not take it out for the rest of the night, a promise I kept. And we had a lovely evening.

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This is the Modem World: I'm giving up absolutely nothing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Distro Issue 55: a cautionary tale of the state-supported 38 Studios

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Distro Issue 55 the cautionary tale of 38 Studios and state investments

In 2004, Curt Schilling and a badly injured ankle led the Red Sox to their first World Series championship in 86 years. That's right, he was the ace that helped break the "Curse of the Bambino" from the mound. Fast forward to 2010, where Schilling had hung up his cleats and lobbied for Rhode Island officials to give his video game outfit, 38 Studios, a $75 million loan guarantee. Just two years later, the studio filed for Chapter 7, leaving the state's taxpayers holding the tab. In this week's issue, Jason Hidalgo takes a look at what went down in New England and examines the risk of public funds being used to support private tech companies. We had folks on the ground in Berlin to monitor the happenings at IFA this week and a few notable gadgets from said event occupy "Hands-on". As far as full-on reviews go, we put the Archos 101 XS, Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE and Acer Aspire V5 through their paces. "Forum" is chock full of even more reads, eSports commentator John Sargent stops by for the Q&A, "Time Machines" kicks it old school and "Eyes-on" takes on 35mm, retro-style photography. The week is over, so hit the link that you fancy the most to grab your copy and let the relaxation begin.

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Distro Issue 55: a cautionary tale of the state-supported 38 Studios originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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