Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Here’s a juicy morsel for you: in his new book, Xbox 360 Uncloaked, gaming industry author Dean Takahashi claims that half of Microsoft’s original Xbox 360 development team began work on a portable console immediately after the home system launched, while the other half was tasked with driving down the 360′s production costs. Takahashi goes on to say that the big M plans to follow Sony’s lead and release the handheld Xbox halfway through the 360′s life span, which would help offset hardware cycle costs and maintain buzz about the brand. The supposed Xbox2Go (that’s what we’ll call it for now, anyway) would likely be released into a competitive landscape filled with PSP2‘s and who knows what kind of crazy Nintendo portables, but Microsoft has certainly shown that it’s in the videogame, uh, game, for the long haul, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see them pump these kinds of resources into the project if it does in fact exist. Oh, and before you start commenting on the device’s “design,” please note that the above picture is simply an artist’s conception created before any word of this got out.

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals

It’s been over a year since we launched the TiVo Deathwatch, and not only is the company still alive and kicking, a new survey being conducted by Cox Communications may indicate that TiVo is about to enter into a partnership with the nation’s third largest cable company. Thomas Hawk reports that users on on the TiVo Community Forum are buzzing about a questionnaire that was sent to Cox Enterprises customers who currently subscribe to one or more of the company’s other services, but get their TV via satellite. Among a slew of questions about DVRs in general and TiVo specifically, is one which reads in part, “If Cox were to offer digital cable service with a TiVo branded DVR for about the same price as you are currently paying for satellite service each month, how likely would you be to switch from satellite TV to Cox cable that featured this TiVo branded DVR service?” Take this for what you will, but these questions would seem to indicate that the two companies are, at the very least, involved in backroom talks of some sort, and possibly even in the planning stages of building co-branded equipment. Combined with TiVo’s recent courtroom victory over EchoStar, their current partnership with Comcast, and a surprising renewal of their service contract with DirecTV, a deal with Cox may be just the ammo we need to put the Deathwatch down for good.

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Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Networking

Although neither device has a true VoIP option yet, UK tech site T3 is reporting that "a source close to...Vonage" (i.e. a friend of a friend of a friend) has confirmed that the VoIP provider is developing WiFi calling solutions for both the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. We've known for awhile that both systems were capable of implementing the ol' VoIP, but other than a random blog musing we reported on last year, this is the first indication we've seen of a major player making moves in this direction. Even for a rumor, the details here are pretty thin, such as how Vonage plans to actually implement VoIP in the disparate devices -- the possibilities include a firmware update for the PSP, and either DSpeak-like software or an Opera-like cartridge for the DS -- or even a hint of when we can expect to see any products come to market. As you might expect, Vonage itself declined to comment on the matter when contacted by T3.

Filed under: Handsets, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM

Is this the fabled Danger Sidekick III? We can't say for sure, but the site that reader John M. tipped us to contains this solitary photo, which looks almost identical to the shots that have been leaking out for the last few months. Although no explanation of the picture is given, John claims that its from T-Mobile's advertising campaign for the device, which sounds pretty reasonable to us.

[Thanks, John M.]

Filed under: Laptops, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Take the following information with the usual grain of salt; when it comes to speculation about Apple's intentions, nothing is ever certain until the esteemed Mr. Jobs is on stage, product in hand, delivering the pitch. This time around, we have word from AppleInsider that American Technology Research analysts are reporting that their most recent "checks" indicate impending capacity doubling for the iPod nano line-- to 4GB and 8GB -- as well as the addition of "basic video capabilities," in models to be released during the "September quarter."  If true, none of these developments would be all that shocking, as the current nanos already have sharp little color screens, and storage boosts are just a natural part of any digital audio player's lifecycle. ATR's Shaw Wu also seemingly contradicted earlier AppleInsider info when he cited an anticipated June/July release window for the as-yet-unannounced 13.3-inch Intel-powered Macbook laptop, which AI had previously suggested would be available sometime before June.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Video

Straight from the rumor mill to your ears/eyes/brain: iPod Hub is reporting that "anonymous film industry insiders" are claiming that Apple is attempting to get iPod video-friendly versions of theatrical releases included in movie studios' Blu-ray offerings. Since Blu-ray discs can hold 50GB or more, there would certainly be room for the small iPod-compatible files, which would presumably sport pretty strong encryption in order to placate piracy fears of content providers. The move would certainly be beneficial to Apple, as it would create a substantial library of full-length films available at what seems to be the inevitable launch of a "real" video iPod. Further enhancing the believability of this rumor is the fact that Apple already has strong ties to both Sony and Disney, two of the major studios. Still, until we hear official word from one of the players here, consider this to be simply idle chatter for now.

[Via TUAW]

Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Palm OS, Windows Mobile, ALP

src="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/media/2006/04/whatisthis.jpg" alt="" />Brighthand, a site we happen put a good
deal of credence in, is reporting that "very reliable sources" have informed them that there is no such
creature as the Treo Hollywood. The
Hollywood, which first appeared in a Saigo Investments report last year along with another model known as the href="http://engadgetmobile.com/search/?q=lowrider">Lowrider, was said to be a more stylish 3G-enabled Treo for the
antenna-hating European market. Even more intriguing were href="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/20/first-shots-of-the-treo-hollywood/">pictures href="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/22/more-pics-show-antenna-free-treo-to-be-more-of-a-lowrider/">that have
been steadily href="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/04/19/treo-hollywood-sighted-for-reals/">leaking out of an antenna-free
Treo with blue highlights that were said to be Hollywood, but which Brighthand is now discounting as possibly just a
restyled GSM version of the 700w. Stay tuned to this station
folks, because Palm’s plans for this year just got a lot more open-ended.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Whew. That's a relief. We were afraid for a while there that we'd have to go a whole week without any rumors about Apple's alleged plans for a "true video iPod." But ThinkSecret has come through as usual. According to the site, Apple had been on track to release the widescreen video iPod in time for the company's 30th birthday this month, but had to delay the project due to display problems and negotiations with movie studios. ThinkSecret claims that Apple is committed to a touchscreen controller including a "virtual track wheel," but actually achieving this has proven to be a challenge for Apple's display manufacturer. Meanwhile Apple is reportedly having a hard time negotiating content deals with movie studios. According to ThinkSecret, the company wants to stick with the iTunes model of selling individual flicks, while the studios are looking for a MusicNet-style subscription service. We've got an idea: as long as Apple is chatting it up with the other Apple, why not see if the rights to "Help" and "A Hard Days Night" are available? Either that or they can see if Disney's working on a sequel to "High School Musical."

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Features

• How-To: Theater or studio acoustic treatments
• Switched On: Why Adobe should cook the books
• The Clicker: TiVo and Echostar, the battle begins
• Music Thing: Messe Oddities
• Engadget around the world

Podcasts

• Engadget Podcast 074 - 04.04.06

News

• Is your PC "Vista Capable?"
• Seven major studios line up to sell movies online
• Dell's 2007WFP 20-inch widescreen now available
• Apple quietly fixing MacBookPro bugs
• Moto debuts new music-centric V3m alongside colorful V3i RAZRs
• Tivo Series 3 gets thumbs up from CableLabs and 180-hr Series 2 box disappears
• New OLPC deets: 500 MHz, 128MB RAM, Windows CE and no hand crank
• Census Bureau to use HTC handhelds in 2010
• Boot Camp lets Macs run Windows ... officially
• Leaked shots of the Blackberry 7130c
• Sprint announces EV-DO router and USB dongle
• Sony's T30 7.2 megapixel ultracompact
• San Francisco selects Google/Earthlink for citywide WiFi
• Parallels provides XP-on-Mac in virtual machine
• UMPCs to get special Media Extender software
• Boot Camp: the day after
• Acer Aspire 9800 to be next HD DVD-equipped laptop
• Sony says Georges Fornay's "499 to 599 euros" a mistranslation

Rumors

• Apple has 13.3-inch MacBooks on the way?
• Palm set to announce Treo 700p for Sprint on May 15th
• Leaked shots of Sony's PSone emulator for the PSP
• Dell XPS Mobile Concept PC shipping this May as XPS M2010?
• MacBooks said to get Core Duo, iSight

The sleuths at Think Secret say that an Apple-branded iPod “Hi-Fi” boombox will be part of Apple’s presentation tomorrow. There were not many details forthcoming, except that the idea for this boombox was first leaked late last year, and that the product “will deliver unique capabilities beyond what today’s third-party docking speaker systems offer.”

The super-secret media event that begins tomorrow (Tuesday, February 28) at 9 a.m. Pacific Time, has tongues wagging and speculation swirling around a variety of different products that may or may not be introduced. We’ll give you more details as we get them.

iPod “Hi-Fi” boombox arriving next week [Think Secret]

 
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Related: Rumor: Microsoft Teasing Origami Mini-Tablet
Related: Verizon To Release Motorola Q Next Week?
Related: Rumor: Apple to Offer Downloads of Entire Movies

MacWorld, Schmack World. O'Grady over at Powerpage.org got some insider information from a guy restocking a convenience store. Validity? Who knows? The stocking insider said there will be two plasma HDTVs being unveiled by Apple. These include DVI-HDCP inputs, VGA inputs, Bluetooth and Airport.

Surprisingly there is going to be less iPod announcements this year. The iPod unveiling will possibly include a new Apple branded iPod Boombox and updates to the Shuffle.

Intel power! With all of the Intel/Mac jibber-jabber that has been going on for the past year, will this event be the final unveiling for an Apple product that uses Intel hardware? Most likely. Various sources including Forbes, Appleinsider and ThinkSecret are reporting that their will be a Mac mini, iMac, and iBook all being powered by Intel's dual-core Yonah notebook processor.

There has been a trend where Apple releases a new version of iLife every year at MacWorld. This year is no different as a web mistake by Apple revealed an iLife '06 debuting at MacWorld along with a new application called iWeb

Does your best friend's cat's gynecologist let you in on some juicy MacWorld rumors? Let us know.

Eve of Expo: Rumors [ThinkSecret]
Rumors [MacRumors]
Exclusive: Apple Plasma Displays [Powerpage]

More Mac rumor madness for you kids. Now people are saying that Apple will have an Intel-based Macintosh by January, 2006. The big Intel deal is supposed to be announced during MacWorld in January, which makes sense to us. The original guesstimate was that Intel-based Macs wouldn't hit stores until June, 2006, but that seems a bit too late to analysts for a launch. Another question that could be posed: Will Mac OS X Intel go on sale around this time? Technically one could make an image of the Intel-Mac's hard disk and could copy that on to a non-Apple Intel box. Again, this isn't confirmed, but everything seems to be set for a January release date.

New Intel Apple to arrive in January [The Inquirer]

Filed under: Games, Handsets, Sony Ericsson

As far as rumors go, this one is about as thin on the deets as they come, but Cnet Asia is reporting that Sony Ericsson senior VP of Product and Application Planning, Rikko Sakaguchi, actually alluded to plans for a game-playing phone at a recent press event in Sweden. During what was presumably the Q&A portion of a media conference in honor of the merged company’s fifth anniversary, Sakaguchi reportedly answered a question about a theoretical PSP phone (most decidedly NOT pictured above) by saying simply that Sony Ericsson “is working on something,” but that “the surprise must be kept for the future.” Yeah, we know, not too much meat here — Sakaguchi did mention that the objective was to integrate gaming and communications functions, not to create a dedicated gaming device (whatever that means) — however, after the relative success of its Walkman and Cybershot lineup of handsets, it certainly makes sense for the company to leverage the PlayStation brand in this market as well. Sony Ericsson would be wise, though, to learn from Nokia’s experience with the N-Gage, which is that, well, people don’t like the N-Gage. So, here’s to hoping that the Ericsson side of the equation can knock some sense into the Sony side of the equation, or else we may end up with a bulky, side-talkin’ handset which uses even more proprietary formats that no one is interested in.

[Via Maxconsole]

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Filed under: Handsets

Throwing an iPhone rumor to the gadget-obsessed is a fair bit like burning paper in a fireplace — sure, things will flare up for a few seconds, but shortly thereafter the flames calm back down again. We recently caught wind of the fact that the new iTunes 7.0.1 update is packed with a bunch of text strings that say things like:” 4301.022″ = ” ^0 was not copied because the video format is not supported by the mobile phone ^1 .”; and so forth, implying that an iPhone is forthcoming. Now remember, we’ve seen similar language embedded in Apple software before, but we’ve yet to see an actual product, although the internet’s Magic 8 Ball as of late seems to be pointing to Macworld Expo 2007. But then again, we’ve heard for months now that our friends in Cupertino are working on such a device, with everyone and everything from analysts to patent filings saying as much; so we’re just hoping that Apple is waiting until it’s good and ready to release it. For all you Apple and iPhone fanboys, take a moment to do a little jig, and then resume your daily routine.

Read – iLounge
Read – Mac Rumors

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