For months we’ve been waiting on Razer’s Blade notebook, a $ 2800, 17-inch beast that we weren’t sure whether to laud or mock. It’s just that it’s kind of a strange thing to see making a big debut when people are more cautious than usual with their money, and PC gaming (as ever) is being declared dead. But after our hands-on at CES, we were convinced that it was at the very least impressive and well-built, and apparently enough other people thought so that Razer sold out almost immediately.
Now, the actual number sold isn’t mentioned, but Razer isn’t a small company and they were going all-out with this thing at CES. But we’ve seen devices launch to sales of dozens, so a strong response to a launch like this is definitely good news.
The company shared the news on their Facebook page, and urges prospective buyers to sign up for a notification email list. Hopefully that $ 2800 won’t burn a hole in your pocket in the meantime.
Personally, I’m more excited about their plans to disconnect the touchscreen and LCD keys from the laptop, making a customizable piece of hardware you can use with your existing PC. I’m not really down with the small-screen gaming and I like my keyboards a little meatier, so the Blade isn’t for me — but I do have gear envy when I see all those future toys on the side.
As an Engadget reader, you’ll gain extra street cred if you’re using an iPhone and, well, a non-iPhone at the same time; or maybe you’ve got all your media content on an iPod instead of having everything on your non-Apple smartphone. Either way, this means that you’d need to carry at least two types of cables for emergency charging on the go. To save the hassle, PANS Ltd. from Japan has come up with a neat solution: Umiushi Smapho 2800, which is apparently the industry’s first external battery with a built-in iPod dock connector and a micro-USB plug, both of which can be used simultaneously to sip on the 2,800mAh reservoir with 5V 1A output. Sure, you could alternatively just get hold of Apple’s micro-USB adapter and keep one micro-USB cable with you, but if you’re also looking for an external battery anyway then the option’s there, too. Expect to see the Smapho 2800 in various markets in two months’ time.
Gallery: Umiushi Smapho 2800 portable charger
Umiushi Smapho 2800 portable charger hands-on: one plug for iPhone, another one for micro-USB originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The iPhone location tracking saga took yet another twist today, with South Korea’s communications regulatory body ordering Apple Korea to pay three million won (about $ 2,828) for collecting personal information without authorization. The fine certainly won’t break Cupertino’s bank, but it does set a precedent, marking the first time that a regulator has taken Apple to task over the issue. A few weeks ago, a Korean court ordered the company to pay about $ 1,000 in compensation to an individual who brought action against Apple, as part of a case that is expected to blossom into a larger, class-action suit. Kim Hyung-suk, the lawyer spearheading the campaign, told Reuters that he’s looking to file the lawsuit “by next week.” Apple’s Korean unit, meanwhile, is still claiming innocence, with spokesman Steve Park saying: “Apple is not tracking the location of your iPhone. Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so.” Park, however, would not say whether or not the company will agree to pay the fine.
Korean regulator fines Apple $ 2,800 over iPhone location tracking controversy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 07:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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