You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
We've been hearing talk of a Dropbox app for Windows 8 since the OS's big debut back in October, but there's now finally some good news for Windows users who favor the cloud-storage service. The Dropbox app is now available for both Windows 8 and Windows RT devices, offering all the basic features you'd expect (and not much more), including the ability to share files with with Windows 8's Share Charm. Windows Phone 8 users, on the other hand, still have some waiting to do for an official app.
Filed under: Mobile, Microsoft
Via: The Next Web
Source: Windows Store
HTC's HD2 may have begun life as just another Windows Mobile 6.5 handset, but its surprisingly hardy internals enable it to run almost any mobile OS going. The latest software to appear on the three-year-old device is Windows RT, which was jammed onto the system by a developer called Cotulla -- who previously put Windows Phone 7 on the same unit. While we imagine it's not that comfortable to use on the HD2's 4.3-inch screen, we can imagine some superheroes are now scouring eBay for a similarly immortal smartphone.
[Image Credit: Cotulla]
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft, HTC
Via: GSM Arena
Source: Cotulla (Twitter), (2), (3)
After announcing it would start selling its Surface RT at third-party retailers in the US and Australia, we figured it was only a matter of time before Microsoft would extend this offer over to the UK (among other places, of course). Well, according to Pocket-lint, retailer John Lewis has confirmed to the site that it will indeed commence stocking both its virtual and physical shelves with Microsoft's 10.1-inch tablet, with the 32GB plus Black Touch Keyboard bundle set to be priced at £479, or £559 for the more spacious 64GB model. John Lewis says the Surface RT will be up for grabs tomorrow, December 14th, on its website, while brick-and-mortar stores should have them in stock starting this weekend.
Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft
Source: John Lewis, Pocket-lint
If you've wondered how much space Windows RT, Office and Microsoft's bundled apps occupy on your shiny new Surface RT, worry no longer. Microsoft has revealed that once you've accounted for binary conversion, recovery provision and the software itself, the 32GB device will have 16GB of free space, while 64GB units will get 46GB of room to store your media. Naturally, you can use microSD cards (or USB Drives) to add to that space, and if you'd like to know how to get the device to treat it as if it's all coming from a single library, check out our tutorial.
Continue reading Microsoft reveals how much of Surface RT's disc space is actually yours
Filed under: Tablets, Storage, Microsoft
Microsoft reveals how much of Surface RT's disc space is actually yours originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acer seems to be straddling a delicate position with respect to Microsoft right now. On the one hand, it's outwardly indifferent towards Surface RT and indeed the the whole Windows RT concept, which is why it's holding off on its own RT tablets for the time being. But if that's true, why are the company's top brass so eager for Microsoft to withdraw from the competition? President for Greater China, Linxian Lang, has just resorted to a food metaphor to emphasize the point, warning that Redmond will have to eat "hard rice" with Surface, and implying that it should stick to its more readily-chewed software diet. If you've seen our own Surface RT review, then you'll know our thoughts on the matter: Microsoft's tablet has been boiled and salted just right, which might be the real reason Acer is so averse to it.
[Image credit: Sina Tech]
Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft, Acer
Acer exec warns Microsoft may eat 'hard rice' with its Surface tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 08:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acer is no stranger to airing its skepticism of Microsoft Surface, but the company is now adopting caution as the name of the game for its own Windows RT tablets. In an interview with Reuters, company president Jim Wong told the outlet that Acer would deliver its own RT-based tablet no earlier than Q2, as it's now monitoring how Microsoft's own hardware fares in the marketplace. According to Wong, Acer had previously targeted a Q1 debut. As it lets Microsoft serve as the canary in the coal mine, Acer will continue to focus on its full-fledged Windows 8 hardware, as well as develop and refine its own RT offering. "I don't know what's next, what Microsoft will do," Wong said. "We are watching how Surface is doing ... How is RT accepted by customers... We don't know... We want to see."
Acer delays Windows RT tablets as it gauges Surface acceptance originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We already got a pretty good look at the Dell XPS 10's outward facade, but if it's internal hardware you're after, you may want to take a look at the FCC's latest: they tore the transforming tablet apart. The federal teardown is garnished with the standard trappings: FCC labels, frequency tests and Dell attestations -- one of which notes the WiFi and Bluetooth radios' shared antenna and its inability to simultaneously transmit both signals. The XPS 10's manual is available for browsing, too, in case you need a refresher on how to pinch, zoom or swipe. Check it for yourself at the FCC, or just pop on down to the attached gallery for a gander at the device's innards.
Dell XPS 10 lets the FCC get under its skin, into its manual originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 02:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Now that the Microsoft Surface is in the wild and we've probed it from the outside, the tool-toters at iFixit have opened one up to see what makes it tick -- and whether you dare attempt a repair yourself. The first thing they noticed was how tricky it was to remove a plastic access cover, which caused unavoidable damage to the tamper-evident label when they finally got it off. That would tip repair depots that you've been rummaging about, likely rendering your warranty moot. Other sore spots included the LCD and glass being fused together, along with a keyboard connector that's impossible to get out without pulling the display off first. On the plus side, the iFixit team found the battery easy to remove despite being glued to the case (unlike other recent devices), and many un-soldered components that were also swappable. All that added up to a score of four on the repairability scale -- meaning that fixing one probably isn't a great DIY project, unless you're the patient type.
Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft
Microsoft Surface exposes its guts to iFixit, knows if you've been meddling with it originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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As Windows 8 arrives on the tech scene, Microsoft's retooled operating system carries a truckload of new devices in tow. While the Ultrabooks and All-in-ones are on their way, a lot of attention is being given to the Redmond outfit's Surface slate. The Windows RT-wielding tablet slides into the spotlight in this week's issue of our e-magazine and we give it a thorough review to see just how it stacks up against the current contenders. We also spend some quality time with Dell's XPS 12 Windows 8 convertible and the LG Optimus G handset while the all of the recently announced Apple gadgets occupy Hands-On. Weekly Stat tallies worldwide mobile subscriptions, Visualized steps inside Google's Douglas County, Georgia data center and Time Machines recalls the origins of digital photography. As always, there's quite a bit to take in, so consult your usual download sources to take a gander at the goods.
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Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Microsoft
Distro Issue 63: Will Microsoft's Surface tablet rise to the occasion? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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