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Project Glass has already given adrenaline junkies a POV view of a skydiver's freefall, and now Google's giving fashionistas a similar rush with a new film about New York Fashion Week. It was shot entirely with Glass by various folks at the DVB show, including Diane von Furstenberg herself, who also provided the video's narration. Looking for a pre-show pep talk from one of the fashion industry's true titans and some behind the scenes footage of runway beauties? Perhaps you just wanna know what it's like to stroll the catwalk and be bathed in the flashbulbs of hundreds of paparazzi? Your bliss awaits in the four minute clip after the break.

When we suggested it would be a good idea to stay up late (or wake up early) to guarantee a launch day iPhone 5, we meant it. Those bent on pre-ordering through the Apple Store saw the company's online portal exhaust itself within an hour of the 3:01AM availability -- faster than the iPhone 4 and 4S, and no doubt crushing the hopes of North Americans who value their sleep. Individual US carriers weren't quite so quick to sell out, although they weren't far behind. AT&T is now quoting two to three weeks for any new orders, and Verizon doesn't see any new orders on their way until September 26th. Only Sprint is left taking pre-orders with the expectation that they'll arrive next Friday, and it's certain that the supply situation won't get better in the near future. We're curious to see just how many iPhones sell before the weekend is out, or even the day; given the briskness of pre-orders for the iPhone 4S last year, we wouldn't be surprised to see some braggadocio from Apple or the carriers by the time Monday rolls around.

If you're building or upgrading a budget gaming rig, it'll be hard to ignore the GeForce GTX 650 and 660. Whether or not NVIDIA's new chipsets are worth the glance is another matter, and early reviews suggest that a sale depends on just which market you're in. The GTX 660, by far the darling of the review crowd, competes solidly against the Radeon HD 7850 by outrunning AMD's hardware in most situations while undercutting on the official price. Only a few have taken a look at the lower-end GTX 650, but it's not as much of a clear-cut purchasing decision -- the entry-level video often slots in between the performance of the Radeon HD 7750 and 7770 without the price edge of its bigger brother. Either card is much better value for the money than the GT 640, however, and looks to be a meaningful upgrade if you're trading up from equivalent prior-generation gear.

Read - AnandTech (GTX 660)
Read - Benchmark Reviews (GTX 660)
Read - Bit-Tech (GTX 660)
Read - Guru 3D (GTX 650)
Read - HardOCP (GTX 660)
Read - Hot Hardware (GTX 660)
Read - PC Mag (GTX 660)
Read - PC Perspective (GTX 660)
Read - Tom's Hardware (GTX 650 and 660)

Google's had one foot in the web privacy door for a while, offering Chrome users the Keep My Opt-Outs extension in its browser's Web Store since 2011. Still, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari already offer a Do Not Track option directly in their browser settings. Mountain View is now working to close that gap by bringing that same privacy configuration to Chrome. Do Not Track will let users opt out of tracking cookies and targeted advertising (from ad networks that comply with the standard, that is), and is currently live on Chrome's developer channel. The option will reportedly be baked into the stable version of the browser by the end of the year.

There's potentially bad news ahead if you're hoping to wipe the drive on that future HP Envy X2 and load Ubuntu -- Intel reportedly claimed at IDF that Clover Trail-based Atom processors "cannot" handle Linux properly. As outlined in The Inquirer's account of events, the issue is more a matter of optimization than an outright block: Linux doesn't yet know how to cope all of Clover Trail's power state changes at the kernel level, which would put any penguin-powered PC at a disadvantage. Intel would really, really prefer that you run Windows 8, as the new Atom and Microsoft's OS are tuned to work hand-in-hand. Linux might catch up, but the Windows-only emphasis is a sharp break from Intel's tendency to shower love on open-source OS projects across the board, including ongoing work like Intel-native Android builds or Tizen.

Motorola will be supplying China's WASU Digital Group, a cable and broadband provider, with the HMC3260 Android entertainment device for cloud-based, broadband internet streaming. Dubbed "Cloud Broadband" by the operator, the device will provide the primary connection for "hybrid fiber coax networks," while also offering a touchscreen interface, based on an unnamed flavor of Android. WASU claims the device will allow "easy access and search" for on-demand HD video services, storage, games and apps, on top of regular cable TV services. There's no mention of internal storage or any other specs or service details, but adding an Android-based touchscreen to a broadband connection device? Sounds like a promising idea.

This special edition of the Engadget Mobile Podcast comes but once a year, which means it's right up there with birthdays and holidays in specialness. Warning: the Apple-to-not-Apple ratio will be rather high in this episode as Myriam and Brad discuss their thoughts, feelings and emotions about the iPhone 5 (if you're looking for extensive Android and Windows Phone coverage, might we recommend an excellent vintage Episode 152?). We'll talk about the good, the bad and the ugly, so tune in as we dive straight in!

Adding to the fun and games already hidden within its search box, Google's new not-so-secret addition gives you a quick way to calculate exactly how many degrees your favorite (or most obscure) actor falls from Kevin Bacon. Sure, it may take half the debate out of it, but at least the definitive answers are now out there -- just type in "bacon number" followed by your thespian of choice.

T-Mobile's American branch would really like to scoop up a few iPhone owners, and we're getting a better sense of just how far it's willing to go to lure refuseniks who'd otherwise go to AT&T. A product matrix leaked to TmoNews both shows the US carrier's specially branded nano-SIM cards and suggests they'll be available in October. And while there wasn't really any doubt, the cards should be in stores just for unlocked iPhone 5 models -- "no T-Mobile devices require this SIM card," the company tells its staff. The wait could be a pain, but the sighting at least provides some comfort to those who would only let their iPhone 5 run on Magenta's network.

People here in the US of A have been able to pre-order Nintendo's latest gaming console since shortly after the Japanese company wrapped up its NYC event yesterday, and now it's time for UK folks to do the same -- at least through Amazon. The online retail giant's now offering both the Basic and Premium units on its site for £249 and £299, respectively, or there is also a top-of-the-line bundle which includes ZombieU that's priced at £329. Regardless of the Wii U route you choose to take, be sure to mark November 30th on your calendar as the date to expect that trademark brown box to show up at your doorstep.

HP bet big on the smartphone world when it purchased Palm, but the company fell flat on its face and webOS failed to take off. The reasons for the failure are numerous, but the new CEO Meg Whitman is smart enough to realize it can't simply abandon the market entirely. In an interview with Fox Business, she said that HP "ultimately has to offer a smartphone." Though she was willing to acknowledge that the company is "working on this," she would not divulge too many details about its mobile plans. Whether or not webOS may rise from the ashes as a largely community-powered platform remains to be seen, but we wouldn't be shocked to see HP pivot towards its longtime partner Microsoft, and release a Windows Phone 8 device. Perhaps the best glimmer of hope for the former Palm system was Meg's focus on developing markets. She rightly points out that, in some parts of the world, the first and only "computer" a person may own is a smartphone -- and reaching that audience is essential to Hewlett-Packard's success. Going back to the webOS well (with its open source support) would allow the company to save a few dollars on the cost of a new handset. Check out the video after the break for the full quotes in context.

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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If you had your heart set on a Kindle Fire, Fire HD 7 or Reader, you can now plunk down your plastic and receive one as fast as your shipper can wheel it over. The 1,280 x 800 Fire HD 7-inch model, which we recently put through the ringer, is available in a 16GB version for $199, and Amazon says the 32GB version will arrive October 25th. As we noted, it carries a new dual-band WiFi system for greater surfing speed, dual speakers, a front HD camera and a TI-made dual-core ARM Cortex A-9 processor. The updated Kindle Fire can be had as well for $159, with double the RAM of the last version, a new processor and a bigger battery. Finally, the new Kindle Reader is also up for grabs at an ad-supported cost of $69, while the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD should be along in November at $299 ($499 for a 4G version). So, if you're already looking ahead to a certain holiday, check the sources to see how to get one.

With certain exceptions, talk of advanced hard drive technology regularly has a tough time escaping research labs. Western Digital's HGST is promising a much more tangible project that could boost data capacities by a wide margin. By filling the gaps between drive platters with less buffeting-prone helium instead of air, HGST can safely fit as many as seven platters in a typical, 3.5-inch desktop hard drive instead of the current five. Going with the lower density gas creates a raft of side benefits, such as fitting more data on a single platter along with reducing the drag that both slows down and heats up the disk. We'll have to wait until 2013 to see shipping helium-filled drives in our PCs; given the slightly exotic nature of the technique, though, we wouldn't count on HGST or Western Digital handing out drives for free like balloons at a birthday party.

Secrets have been hard to keep in the camera world lately, and now Olympus has undergone its second leak in as many days, but this time with a couple of higher-profile actors -- the E-PL5 and E-PM2 mirrorless cameras. Both will use the Olympus E-M5 sensor with TruePic VI image engine and touchscreen, and are reported to be priced at €399 ($520) for the E-PM2 with a 14-42mm kit lens (in silver, below the break) and €599 ($780) for the E-PL5 with the same lens, shown above. That follows earlier leaks from Sony, Fujifilm and others, along with two upcoming lenses from Olympus that were also outed ahead of time. Hopefully, there'll still be a couple of surprises left when Photokina rolls around next week.

[Image credit: Digicam Info]

What's red or black, 4 x 4 inches and exposes itself shamelessly on the show floor at IDF 2012? If you answered Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC), you'd be right. The diminutive PC was on display at Intel's Developer Forum along with its motherboard and cooling assembly. It comes in two flavors, a consumer-geared model with a single HDMI connector and Thunderbolt (in red) and a more business-centric version with two HDMI outputs and Ethernet (in black). Both mini-systems feature a third generation (Ivy Bridge) Core i3 CPU, QS77 chipset, two dual-channel DDR3 SoDIMM slots, mSATA and mini-PCIe interfaces (for SSD and WiFi cards), five USB 2.0 ports (two back, one front, two internal) and a socket for an external 19V DC power supply. The company hopes to get the attention of OEMs and DIY-ers alike when it makes this small, light and simple computer design available in October for about $400. Check out the gallery below and our hands-on video after the break.

Intel Core i3 NUC hands-on

LG's latest L-series smartphone, the Optimus L9, has just breezed (elegantly) through the FCC's radio frequency trial-by-screwdriver. The dinner-jacket-white clad Android smartphone is part of the "L-Style design philosophy" from the Korean maker, which emphasizes budget panache over brute performance. As such, it's a handsome but plasticky device, with a 4.7-inch IPS screen, ICS, qtranslator language app, dual-core 1GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, 2,150mAh battery and 5-megapixel shooter. Vodafone in Europe showed the price as €340 unsubsidized or €50 on contract, but a member of the L-series family has yet to cross the pond. However, a surprise peek of its Optimus L7 sibling as US Cellular's upcoming Splendor shows there's some hope for a stateside cameo.

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While Apple had its preorders primed since 8am BST, British carriers have only just unveiled their monthly prices for the newest iPhone. Vodafone will offer it on contracts from £25 per month -- with an initial £249 outlay) or free on £47 per month for two years. That free deal will net you a 16GB iPhone 5, with 2GB of data, unlimited texts and voice minutes. On Orange, a 24-month contract at £46 will nab you the same 16GB model for free, with 3GB of data and unlimited calls and texts. If you drop down to the £20 rate, you'll have to pay £320 upfront and pick up a lightweight bundle of 100MB of data, 50 texts and 50 minutes. EE stablemate T-Mobile isn't offering any free iPhones on its carrier plans, but you'll be able to glean unlimited internet (alongside 2000 voice minutes) on a 16GB iPhone 5 for £109 and £36 per month on contract.

Confusingly, anyone looking to grab the UK's first LTE network on the iPhone 5 will have to sign up to a "4GEE from EE" plan -- which still hasn't revealed its pricing. We're checking with EE whether customers that decide to grab a new contract with Orange or T-Mobile will still be able to migrate across -- we'd hold off on that pre-order until we hear back from the new 4G network. (Edit: See update below for clarification.) Meanwhile, Three UK currently has the 16GB iPhone on its unlimited data One Plan at £79 upfront, on a £36 per month deal. We'll update again once we hear O2's plans.

Update: EE has been in touch to clarify matters:

"Customers can either wait for EE to launch (we will be announcing the date in the coming weeks) or they can sign up to a contract with T-Mobile or Orange and upgrade to EE free of charge once it has launched, as long as they move to an equivalent priced and length plan
on EE."

Update 2: Phones4U is taking its own pre-orders for those who want to enlist with Orange, T-Mobile or Vodafone. O2 has also chipped in with its details and is offering the iPhone 5 on plans starting from £26 per month; like Orange, you'll have to opt for at least a £46 monthly outlay to get one for free. The O2 plans offer the same unlimited voice and texts, but just 1GB of data. Lastly, Carphone Warehouse has chipped in with its own advance order campaign, although it's only taking online orders for the 16GB black iPhone at this stage: you'll need to call in for everything else.

Apple has already announced a 30-pin adapter for the iPhone 5's new Lightning standard, but its product page betrays a pair of limitations: "video and iPod Out not supported." That's nothing another accessory can't fix, of course. According to The Verge, Cupertino has plans to release Lightning to HDMI and VGA cables "in the coming months," giving early adopters something to pine for on day one. No word on pricing or specific availability of course, but we wouldn't be surprised to see it hover around the existing adapter's $29 price tag. Fine by us, assuming it pulls its weight.

Though the GH3 has yet to be formally introduced to the world, a video has just appeared on an official Panasonic YouTube channel that has either been posted accidentally or is deliberately intended to build hype in the run-up to Photokina. It mainly shows off the GH3 in a range of picturesque shooting situations, but the clip also spills a few key specs, including the presence of a 16-megapixel sensor, a new version of Panny's Venus Engine processor, a splash- and dust-proof magnesium alloy build and high-definition filming at up to 72Mbps and 60p -- although it's not clear if it handles full 1080 at that high frame-rate. We also see a a flip-out LCD that looks much the same as the GH2's, an f/2.8 12-35mm lens attached instead of the 14-42mm or 14-140mm glass that came bundled with that predecessor, and so far only evidence of a traditional black color scheme. Click onwards for the video!

Update: ...and just like that, the video has vanished.

Now that Huawei has shepherded its MediaPad 7 Lite through the FCCs corridors to ensure its WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and HSPDA 3G radios all conform, the tab is set to travel. The 7-incher wields a 1024 x 600 IPS display, 1.2GHz Cortex A8 processor, 8GB of storage (32GB with optional microSD), 1GB of RAM, 4,100mAh battery and 3.2 / .3-megapixel back / front cameras. Huawei said it would ship across Asia and Eastern Europe to start with, then land in Germany by October with a price of 249 euros ($315). The slate might have a tough row to hoe against similar competition, considering its tame processor, but maybe that newly stamped cellular radio will tip the balance for road warriors.