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Fujifilm launches alphabet soup of point-and-shoot, compact and bridge cameras

By Steve Dent posted Jan 30th 2013 3:46AM 0

Where to start? Fujifilm has announced 9 new FinePix camera models by our counting, including six bridge models (the S6800 and S4800 series), the JX680 point-and-shoot, the F900EXR compact with WiFi and .05-second autofocus, and more basic F850EXR compact. The S6800, S6700 and S6600 are 16-megapixel bridge shooters with 30x, 28x and 26x zooms respectively, boasting OIS sensor stabilization, 12,800 max ISO, 1.0 second startup, 0.3 second autofocus, 10fps high-speed shooting at full resolution (max 10 frames) and 1080i 60fps HD video, with prices topping out at $250. The 16-megapixel FinePix S4800, S4700 and S4600 have the same 30x, 28x and 26x zoom levels and sensor shift image stabilisation along with auto scene recognition, a 1.3 second startup time, 0.3 second autofocus, 720P, 30 fps video with mini-HDMI output and a max price of $230.

For lovers of smaller form factors, the $100 JX680 point-and-shoot has a 16-megapixel senor, 5x Fujinon optical zoom, "creative" filters like soft focus, a 3.0-inch, 230k-dot LCD screen, max 3200 ISO and 720P video with editing. In compact land, the $300 FinePix F850EXR sports a 20x optical zoom, CMOS-shift image stabilisation, a 16-megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor, 3.0-inch 920k-dot LCD, 9 fps continuous shooting (max 5 frames), 1.1 second startup time, Eye-Fi card compatibility and 1080P 60fps video. Finally, the $400 FinePix F900EXR matches all those specs while adding WiFi image transfer capabilitiy, faster 11 fps continuous shooting (5 frames max) and claimed "world's fastest" 0.05 second autofocus speed. All the new models will arrive in March 2013. Got all that? You can check the PR and video after the break if you want more, but we're going to take a nap.

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ZTE's 5.7-inch, 8mm-thick Grand Memo teased ahead of MWC launch, we go hands-on Mobile

By Richard Lai posted Jan 30th 2013 3:22AM 0

Huawei may have its 6.1-inch Ascend Mate for the convenience of hiding your face, but ZTE's also prepping its very own tabletphone to go head to head with its main rival. Dubbed the Grand Memo (V9815), this 5.7-inch 720p device made a surprise appearance at a ZTE event in Hong Kong today, and we got to snap some photos of it. The device looks identical to the P945 leaked earlier this month but packs some slightly different specs: 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro (same as the more premium Grand S), 13-megapixel camera, 8mm-thick body and Android 4.1.2.

While the specs aren't too shabby, our colleague Stone Ip said the choice of finish on the body didn't feel as nice as the Grand S', and the silver bezel made the Grand Memo look worse, but in ZTE's defense it was a prototype and the design may improve in the retail version. On a more positive note, the new phone does include a microSD slot despite its slimness, and it comes with a "one-hand" T9 keyboard that can stick to either side of the screen for better single-handed typing, just too bad we were asked not to take a video of the device at the time. That said, the Grand Memo will be officially unveiled at MWC next month, so stay tuned for more.

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Nintendo Q3 earnings show 3 million Wii Us sold, sales forecasts lowered again HD

By Richard Lawler posted Jan 30th 2013 2:35AM 0

Nintendo's Q3 earnings report is out, and it's sold just over 3 million units of its new Wii U console (at a loss) along with 11.69 million pieces of software. The other big news is that it's adjusted sales forecasts downward -- again, after it announced they were being cut back in October. However, since the flagship console is sold at a loss, while Nintendo is predicting 17 percent lower revenue, its prediction for net income has actually moved up by eight billion yen ($87 million).

It's not all bad news however, as it's showing about $160 million in net income for the year, compared with last year's losses. The 3DS has jumped up to 29.84 million sold, while the original Wii is within shouting distance of the 100 million number. We're digging through the report now, so hit the source link to check it out for yourself or check back in a moment for more data.

Developing...

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Nexus 4 trots out in white, sets unicorn fans aflutter Mobile

By Myriam Joire posted Jan 30th 2013 2:23AM 0

We're pretty fond of ~~unicorns~~ white phones here at Engadget, especially rare ones like the white Nokia N9. So you can imagine our excitement when we came across this photo of a white Nexus 4 over at Phone Arena. While rumors of a white Nexus 4 have been swirling around the intertubes for some time, a picture speaks a thousand words, right? We took a long, eagle-eyed look at this image and didn't see any signs of trickery. Obviously this doesn't mean a white Nexus 4 is on the way -- it could just be a dummy handset and / or a one-off prototype. Still, if last year's white Galaxy Nexus is any indication, there's a chance this is the real deal. We've reached out to Google and LG for comment, so stay tuned -- it sure would be lovely to add this beast to our stable.

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BlackBerry World storefront goes live with music, TV shows and movies Mobile

By Zachary Lutz posted Jan 30th 2013 1:46AM 0

Heads up, content lovers: you can now get your fix over at BlackBerry World, which has been updated with music, movies and TV shows for your perusal. As expected, prices are in line with industry norms, ranging from $8 to $12 for albums, and between $0.99 and $1.49 for individual tracks. Meanwhile, television episodes can be had for $1.99 a pop -- perfect if you happened to miss the awkward season premiere of Archer -- and there's variable pricing for movies, depending on whether you rent or buy. You'll find previews of all music tracks, but movies are limited to the trailers and TV shows lack free samples. Nonetheless, if you're feeling bold and live within one of the supported regions, take a moment to check out the overhauled BlackBerry World. It's certainly a nice appetizer of what's to come.

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LG's Q4 earnings show a narrow yearly net profit of $80.75 million, improved income for all divisions HD

By Richard Lawler posted Jan 30th 2013 12:01AM 0

The latest company to release its quarterly and year-end earnings report is LG, and the good news is that unlike last year's losses, it has managed to eke out a net profit of $80.75 million. Revenues overall were down six percent from last year, but its operating profit moved way up to $1.01 billion from $342.06 million for 2011. Its TV division also reported record sales and a full year profit of over $480 million, while the cellphone division's revenue for Q4 was the highest of the year as it shipped 8.6 million smartphones. So what's on deck for 2013? As you may have heard, Ultra HD and OLED to push the extreme high end of HDTVs along with ever more 3D and connected models for the mass market. For phones, we can expect successors to the Optimus G (more than the Optimus G Pro?) and L-Series, plus LTE phones for the masses in the F-Series as high speed data continues to spread throughout Europe and emerging markets. There's a few more numbers in the press release after the break if you're interested, hit the source link to check out the presentation slides.

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Judge Koh finds Samsung infringement of Apple patents was not willful, won't triple damages Mobile

By Richard Lawler posted Jan 29th 2013 11:06PM 0

Judge Lucy Koh has decided on several post-trial motions from Samsung and Apple in their long running patent case, overturning one key element of the jury's ruling while upholding several others. What was overturned was the jury's ruling that Samsung's acts of patent infringement were willful, which meant Judge Koh could have tripled some parts of the $1 billion+ in damages granted to Apple. On the other hand, she also rejected Samsung's request for a new trial, and invalidated two claims a wireless patent it holds. AppleInsider posted the decision to Scribd, which you can find embedded after the break, hit the source links for a few other looks at the ruling and what this means going forward. Naturally of course, it's not over yet (it's never over) as each company can still appeal elements of the ruling, and other appeals in the case are already ongoing.

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Nokia Lumia 900 for AT&T may get Windows Phone 7.8 on January 30th Mobile

By Jon Fingas posted Jan 29th 2013 9:01PM 0

There's been hints of a Windows Phone 7.8 update looming for the AT&T-spec Lumia 900, but little sign of a real timetable. As it turns out, owners hoping to move beyond 7.5 might be satisfied very quickly. Engadget has obtained an AT&T memo that claims the upgrade is rolling out on January 30th -- as in, tomorrow. We don't see any tweaks mentioned beyond what Microsoft itself said last year, although any update would most likely include Nokia-specific extras on top of the official package. We've reached out to AT&T, Microsoft and Nokia, and we'll let you know if they provide tangible details. Whatever their answers, we'll know the truth before long.

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Sony upgrades Music Unlimited to 320Kbps streaming on Android, PS3 and the web HD

By Jon Fingas posted Jan 29th 2013 8:11PM 0

Higher quality audio is a staple of the experience for a growing number of streaming music services, most notably Spotify. Sony won't let itself become the exception to the rule: Music Unlimited now has an option for a much more detailed 320Kbps bitrate. The quality upgrade is staggered and is initially active on Android devices, the PlayStation 3 and the web player, while desktops, iOS, the PlayStation Vita and home theater gear will get improved tunes later on in the year. Music Unlimited won't appease those who want a consistent experience in the near term, then -- still, it might be enough for listeners whose Xperia serves as a primary jukebox.

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The Daily Roundup for 01.29.2013

By David Fishman posted Jan 29th 2013 6:30PM 0

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.

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