Samsung and Google postpone Ice Cream Sandwich and Galaxy Nexus

Color us a disappointed shade of blue, but it appears that Samsung and Google have decided not to launch the Galaxy Nexus (or Nexus Prime, or whatever it's called) and Ice Cream Sandwich at their October 11th Unpacked event. The two companies sent out a joint announcement reading:

Samsung and Google decide to postpone the new product announcement at CTIA Fall. We agree that it is just not the right time to announce a new product. New date and venue will be shortly announced.

The press event on the 11th was expected to be not only the debut for the successor to the Nexus S, but our first good look at the next version of Android. For whatever reason the companies have decided to delay that launch. But, if Eric Schmidt is true to his word, we shouldn't have to wait too much longer... he did promise us that it would launch by November. We'll let you know as soon as we get a new date to expect "something big."

Zotac's ZBOX nano VD01 packs dual-core VIA CPU in a tiny, tiny box

Zotac isn't the biggest name in computers, but the company does do one thing particularly well -- cram capable HTPC components in itty-bitty boxes for a reasonable price. VD01 series ditches more well known solutions from Intel and AMD for chips from VIA, specifically the Nano X2 U4025 CPU with its Chrome9 media processor. Inside is room for a 2.5-inch HDD and a single DDR3 slot, but you can get those pre-populated with a 320GB disk and 2GB RAM by opting for the Plus model. Outside is your usual selection of USB 3.0, 2.0, eSATA, Ethernet and HDMI ports while inside are both Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11n radios. There's even an IR receiver and bundled remote to make this truly living room friendly.

Pandigital Supernova available mid-October for $230, is an eReader in Android tablet disguise

Pandigital hasn't made much of an effort to swathe its Supernova tab in mystery. When the 8-inch LCD slate swept through the FCC earlier this summer, we were privy not only to images of the device and its internals, but also to the apps that'd be pre-loaded on purchase -- GetJar and Barnes & Noble's Nook app amongst others. So, what can you expect for $230 when it lands this month? Well, the company's forsaken Honeycomb for the soon-to-be outclassed Gingerbread OS, tossed in a single-core 1GHz A8 processor, 4GB of storage (expandable to 32GB via microSD slot), WiFi and Bluetooth. It's a cheap, me too Android tablet entry, for sure. And with the recent outing of a certain budget-priced, ecosystem-friendly tab, we might suggest you hold off for the higher-specced goods.

Top Stories Sony Reader WiFi review 11 hours ago Sprint's LTE plans detailed: phones, tablets and modems coming by 2012 BREAKING NEWS 16 hours ago Sprint converts its network to LTE, plans 'aggressive rollout' to be completed by 2013 BREAKING NEWS 17 hours ago Samsung and Google postpone Ice Cream Sandwich and Galaxy Nexus 19 hours ago Samsung Galaxy Nexus spotted in the wild? (video) 21 hours ago All News Reviews Reviews US Department of Homeland Security developing system to predict criminal intent By Donald Melanson posted Oct 8th 2011 at 2:31AM We're not exactly lacking in opportunities for Minority Report references these days, but sometimes they're just unavoidable. According to a new report from CNET based on documents ... Read the full post on alt.engadget.com 37 Leave A Comment 2 CLASH is an adorable, cloth-climbing roach-bot (video) By Terrence O'Brien posted Oct 8th 2011 at 12:22AM CLASH Generally the words "roach" and "adorable" don't get thrown together. But, one look at the video after the break and you'll understand. This six-legged successor to UC Berkeley's DASH scampers not just horizontally, but vertically -- so long as the material it's climbing is cloth. All motion is handled by the bot's front four legs, while the rear two provide stabilization. The CLASH is able to adhere to cloth because its feet have small claws that allow it to grip the fabric, while its appendages scurry about at up to 34 strides per second. Its top speed of 24 centimeters a second may not sound like much, but considering the pest-inspired design is only 10 centimeters long, it's actually quite a brisk pace. Trust us, you don't want to miss watching it in action after the break. READ MORE sourceIEEE Spectrum 22 Leave A Comment 4 web coverage UC Berkeley Starbucks brews up free, two-click WiFi in the UK By Lydia Leavitt posted Oct 7th 2011 at 10:17PM If your work environment consists of coworkers constantly yelling "venti half-caf red eye" across the "office," then you'll be pleased to know that Starbucks has made it faster and easier ... 34 Leave A Comment 4 Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu plan birthday Hangout on Google+ By Brian Heater posted Oct 7th 2011 at 8:03PM If you're not a Google+ user, odds are pretty good that your weekend plans don't involve spending time with the likes of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The social network ... Read the full post on alt.engadget.com 104 Leave A Comment 18 Ice Cream Sandwich leak outs Music 4.0.1 for download, previews Google+ 2.0 By Zachary Lutz posted Oct 7th 2011 at 5:34PM A funny thing happened to the folks at Android Police, the same group responsible for leaking some of the first screenshots of Ice Cream Sandwich. They've since come across a few apps from Google's upcoming release -- purportedly straight from a Nexus Prime. The first is Google Music 4.0.1 -- a marked upgrade from the current 3.0.1 found in the Market today -- which sports refined tabs, a contextual dialog and new player controls. For reference, the latest version is shown on the right, which is most likely installed onto a Gingerbread device. Best yet, the APK is currently up for download (which you're able to grab for yourself from the source). There's also a sneak peek of the upcoming Google+ 2.0, which suggests Messenger (formerly Huddle) and Conversations will be renamed to... get this... Chords. Feel free to take a peek after the break, or check out the full gallery at the second source link below. READ MORE Android Community sourceAndroid Police (1), (2) 502 Leave A Comment 32 CEATEC Japan 2011 wrap-up By Zach Honig posted Oct 7th 2011 at 4:58PM Just 20 kilometers to the east of Tokyo at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, CEATEC is winding down, following a gadget-filled week where impressive prototypes appeared to outnumber consumer devices. Unlike IFA in Berlin, which is just as much for the public as it is for industry insiders, Japan's consumer electronics show gives manufacturers a chance to show off their prototypes and components to a smaller, mainly local audience. Many products announced here will never leave the country's shores, but can inspire future devices that will be marketed to a worldwide audience. Click through our gallery below for a broader look at the show, then jump past the break for a roundup of our CEATEC 2011 coverage. Arigatou gozaimashita! CEATEC 2011 wrap-up Richard Lai contributed to this report. READ MORE 91 Leave A Comment 6 Minecraft Pocket Edition rolls out to non-Xperia Play Android devices By Donald Melanson posted Oct 7th 2011 at 4:32PM Well, it was fun while it lasted, but Xperia Play users can no longer claim Minecraft Pocket Edition as their own. An updated version of the app has hit the Android Market today, bringing ... 153 Leave A Comment 17 Sony Reader WiFi review By Brian Heater posted Oct 7th 2011 at 4:00PM Review Sony's timing could have been better with the Reader WiFi PRS-T1. The device, which was unveiled back at IFA in late August, is set to launch within a fortnight. In the intervening time, Amazon, the clear leader in the space, unveiled two new readers -- the fourth-generation Kindle and the Kindle Touch. Sony's got a ways to go if it's going to become a dominant force in the e-reader market outside of its native Japan, alongside the Kindle and the Nook. The PRS-T1 certainly takes some steps in that direction, both in terms of pricing and features -- but is it enough to get consumers to stand up and take notice? Find out in our review after the break. Sony WiFi Reader review READ MORE 136 Leave A Comment 13 LG Optimus 3D app converter starts roll-out this month, why settle for only two dimensions? By Mat Smith posted Oct 7th 2011 at 3:34PM LG's 2D to 3D app converter will finally arrive on the Optimus 3D (AKA the Thrill 4G) this month. In order to play nice with it, apps and games need to be using OpenGL. The converter is ... Read the full post on mobile.engadget.com 60 Leave A Comment 5 CinemaNow strikes deal with Intel, adds new movies in 1080p HD

CinemaNow's movie library is about to get a bit larger and a good deal sharper, thanks to a new deal with Intel. Yesterday, the video on-demand service announced that it's now offering a slate of 1080p HD movies for the first time, available on PCs packing a second generation Intel Core CPU. According to the company, "several hundred" new releases and other popular films from 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. have already been added to its library, in addition to the 15,000 movies and TV shows already on file

Ice Cream Sandwich leak outs Music 4.0.1 for download, previews Google+ 2.0

A funny thing happened to the folks at Android Police, the same group responsible for leaking some of the first screenshots of Ice Cream Sandwich. They've since come across a few apps from Google's upcoming release -- purportedly straight from a Nexus Prime. The first is Google Music 4.0.1 -- a marked upgrade from the current 3.0.1 found in the Market today -- which sports refined tabs, a contextual dialog and new player controls. For reference, the latest version is shown on the right, which is most likely installed onto a Gingerbread device. Best yet, the APK is currently up for download (which you're able to grab for yourself from the source). There's also a sneak peek of the upcoming Google+ 2.0, which suggests Messenger (formerly Huddle) and Conversations will be renamed to... get this... Chords.

Dell announces Inspiron One 2320 touchscreen all-in-one

Over the past few weeks, we've seen HP and Toshiba freshen up their all-in-ones, while Samsung made a belated jump into the market just last week. Today, it's Dell's turn -- the company just announced an addition to its all-in-one lineup, the 23-inch Inspiron One 2320. Funnily enough, the new design reminds us somewhat of the PCs HP trotted out last month in that it has an easel-like display with enough space underneath to stow the keyboard, although this one doesn't have a tilting screen. Spec-wise, it's well-matched against the competition, with a 1080p touchscreen, Intel Wireless Display capability, optional NVIDIA GeForce GT525M graphics, six USB 2.0 ports, HDMI-in, a Blu-ray option and up to 2TB in storage. (For whatever reason, USB 3.0 didn't make the cut.) That starting price of $950 will get you a Core i5-2400S CPU and 6GB of RAM, but if you have an extra $450 lying around you can step up to a Core i7-2600S processor with 8GB of memory. Wrapping it all up, the 2320 runs Dell's touch-friendly Stage UI, the latest version of which lets you sync photos and other media across different devices. 

Soon, Xbox Companion will let you control your console from Windows Phone

We just reported that Microsoft is partnering with Verizon and Comcast (among others) to continue expanding the reaches of its Xbox 360 entertainment suite, but would it be complete without adding compatibility to its mobile empire as well? The Windows Phone Team says nay; it spoke up this morning about an upcoming app called Xbox Companion, which will access the Xbox Live Marketplace and also act as a remote, allowing you to navigate your console or control video playback directly from your handset. You can call it laziness or convenience -- or both -- but either way, it's still going to be a clever new addition to the Marketplace. The app's currently in beta and will be available as a free download "soon." For a peek, check out the video below at around the one-minute mark.

Poll: Will you be getting an iPhone 4S?

Needless to say, opinions of Cupertino's latest product have poured down on the internet like acid rain. Tim Cook's inaugural turn behind the wheel came with the awesome responsibility of unveiling theiPhone 4S, Apple's first addition to the iPhone family tree in 16 months. The good news: the 4S received a healthy upgrade in CPU and camera, threw in Siri voice recognition and added Sprint to its growing list of supporters in the US. The unsettling news (for many, anyways): it's basically an iPhone 4 with new internal parts -- there was no change in design or screen size, no LTE to flaunt, no iPhone 5 to accompany it. Naturally, expectations were incredibly high prior to the keynote, so we're anxious to find out how you feel about the outcome. Do you feel the design is still current? Are you relieved to see it available on Sprint? Were you hoping for a larger Retina Display? Rise up to the occasion and let us know -- is the iPhone 4S going to be your next handset purchase? Sound off after the break.

TomTom extends Live service and HD Traffic to Canada with Go Live 1535M nav unit

Satisfying your poutine craving just got easier as TomTom extends its internet-enabled Live service and HD Traffic to nav systems up north. Using the Go Live 1535M portable GPS unit, Canadian drivers can now access the company's signature HD Traffic feature to get real-time routing based on current congestion. Another perk of being connected is the suite of apps that gives adventurers access to Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expedia, Twitter and local search from the dash -- making it easy to find that perfectly crafted caribou jerky and brag about it on social networks. Starting in October, Canucks can cop the system for around $269 with a free 12-month starter subscription to Live offerings.

Broadcom unveils smaller, more power efficient 40nm NFC chips

Broadcom is really throwing its weight behind this whole NFC thing. Its new family of BCM2079x chips have moved to a 40nm manufacturing process which cuts power use by 90-percent and board size by 40-percent. Broadcom claims they're the smallest and most power efficient NFC chips on the market -- and we're not in any position to refute that assertion. The company's Maestro tools have also been upgraded to let their NFC chips speak to a device's Bluetooth and WiFi radios. This could be used to quickly pair with other gadgets using Bluetooth or stream media to a connected television.

ASUS announces trio of new E Series all-in-one PCs

It's already been a fairly busy month for ASUS, but it's not done just yet -- the company has now announced three new E- Series all-in-one PCs, one of which is available starting today. That would be the 23.6-inch ET2410, which starts at $899 and packs your choice of second-gen Intel Core processors, up to a 1TB hard drive, a max 8GB of DDR3 memory, a Blu-ray drive and an HDMI input that'll let you use it as a display for your game console or other devices (it's also conveniently wall-mountable). Those same basic specs also extend to the 21.5-inch ET2210 and 27-inch ET2700, which are set to roll out in October and November, respectively, although there's no word on pricing for those just yet.

YouTube to get regularly scheduled channels, try on traditional TV suit?

What's old is new again. Or, is it that content is still king? We could never keep those Web 2.0 arguments straight, but from the sound of this latest YouTube rumor, ol' Mountain View might be moonwalking into an old media model. According to the Wall Street Journal, Google's been hustling to get contracts for a lineup of regularly scheduled channels ironed out "within the next 60 days." That sort of timeline would indicate a likely early 2012 bow for a refresh of the online video hub made famous by piano-playing cats, and a certain viral surprise in an SNL-made box. While on-demand digital video sites are nothing new in the crowded, streaming marketplace, a move like this could firmly position the search giant as the king of place-shifted, live viewing, and cause more potential headaches for its broadcast and cable competitors. With an in-house production studio already under its wing, courtesy of that Next New Networks acquisition, Google's entrance into the big, bad world of entertainment could be on its interwebbed way.