Most of the interchangeable lens cameras we’ve seen to date seem to follow a standard mold: they have similarly sized bodies, comparable designs and either an APS-C or Micro Four Thirds sensor at the core. But recently, some manufacturers — namely, Nikon and Pentax — have begun shrinking camera bodies in an attempt to make them even more appealing to point-and-shoot users. The result: a smaller, lighter, more fashionable ILC — that also happens to have an itsy bitsy image sensor. Sensor size, not megapixel rating, translates directly to image quality, but also lens and body size, so you can either have an incredibly small body with an incredibly small sensor, or a larger body with a larger sensor. Are you willing to pay a premium for the “world’s smallest” interchangeable lens camera, even if it has the same size sensor used in many point-and-shoot cams available for a fraction of the cost? Pentax seems to think that you are — to the tune of $800.

The 12.4 megapixel Pentax Q is tiny — it’s so small, in fact, that you wouldn’t be alone in mistaking it for a toy. There is a fully functional camera inside that petite magnesium alloy housing, though it’s admittedly not as powerful as you’d expect an $800 camera to be. The pricey kit ships with an 8.5mm f/1.9 lens, and you can grow your collection from Pentax’s modest selection of Q-mount lenses, which also happen to have laughably small focal lengths (a 3.2mm fish eye, anyone?), due to the 1/2.3-inch backlit CMOS sensor’s massive 5.5x multiplication factor. So how does the Q fare when it comes to performance and image quality? Jump past the break to find out.

Continue reading Pentax Q interchangeable lens camera review

Pentax Q interchangeable lens camera review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The robots; they’re walking — and this one’s doing it under its own steam. This passive robotic frame requires no energy input, and is instead powered by its own weight and a gentle slope. The BlueBiped can be adjusted to match the proportions of any user, and researchers plan to use it to assist people who find it difficult to walk and transport unwieldy sports equipment. It already holds the Guinness world record for the longest distance walked by a bi-pedal robot, plodding 15 kilometers (9.32 miles) in a single 13-hour stroll. Those fearing the impending Robopocalypse can at least breathe a sigh of relief that — like some other homocidal robots — stairs still remain out of bounds.

Continue reading BlueBiped robot needs no power to walk for miles, as long as it’s downhill (video)

BlueBiped robot needs no power to walk for miles, as long as it’s downhill (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ever wanted to soar majestically through the clouds? Good news, freedom from your earthly ties is a 5.3-inch display and S Pen away. All that and more in the Galaxy Note ad after the break — though as we can attest, the whole creating beautiful landscapes thing isn’t quite as easy as Samsung’s simulated images make it out to be. No one ever said freedom was simple.

Continue reading New Samsung Galaxy Note ad: freedom’s just a stylus away (video)

New Samsung Galaxy Note ad: freedom’s just a stylus away (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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See those boxes up there? They appear to contain a yet-to-be-announced QWERTY phone, that also seems to be running Symbian. We were able to get a quick glance at the phones from above as Nokia reps were discretely unpacking boxes for that little three-wheeled vehicular contraption parked behind the boxes. Another picture (after the break) reveals a red portrait QWERTY along with the tagline “You. Me. Everyone. Let’s QWERTY,” along with a model number covered up by a white piece of paper. It appears that this one may be the Nokia 303 leaked a couple weeks ago, which seems to be a low-end S40 6th Edition Touch-and-Type device. We know it includes WiFi and 3G connectivity, social functions and comes in colors (at least red and gray). We’re just hours away from keynote confirmation at this point, and something tells us that these guys will be making their way into some attendee swag bags come tomorrow. Jump past the break for a few more pics.

Brad Molen contributed to this post.

Continue reading Nokia to announce QWERTY Symbian phone tomorrow?

Nokia to announce QWERTY Symbian phone tomorrow? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What will the future hold for a post-MeeGo Nokia? Sure, we have a fairly good idea, but you have mere hours to wait until the rumors are confirmed. We’ll be coming to you live from the company’s keynote at Nokia World in London, where we’re expecting not one, but multiple Windows Phones to make an on-stage debut. The show kicks off at 9AM local time, and we’ve included a handy list of round-the-world start times below. Bookmark this page right here and find out as it happens.

Psst… and toss your own time zone / day in comments below!

10:00PM – Hawaii (October 25th)
01:00AM – Pacific (October 26th)
02:00AM – Mountain (October 26th)
03:00AM – Central (October 26th)
04:00AM – Eastern (October 26th)
09:00AM – London (October 26th)
10:00AM – Paris (October 26th)
12:00PM – Moscow (October 26th)
05:00PM – Tokyo (October 26th)

The Nokia World keynote is tomorrow — get your liveblog here at 4AM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia Maps is still getting development love, despite the Finnish manufacturer pinning its smartphone hopes and dreams on Windows Phone. The HTML5-powered maps are now willing to play ball with iOS and Android devices. Previously one of Nokia’s strongest built-in functions on its own phones, the maps perform well on rival hardware — although pinch-to-zoom isn’t working on our Google devices. With Microsoft’s Windows Phones touting some impressive HTML5 credentials, it wouldn’t shock us to see something very similar running on Nokia’s incoming WinPho. There’s a smattering of online settings, including transport directions, but the best part is a new offline mode that will download neighborhood maps from your WiFi connection. Navigate your phone browser to the source link below to see how it works.

Nokia Maps officially arrives on iOS and Android, touts offline storage originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So far the appcessories — yeah we said it, APPcessories — we’ve seen include some good ideas, and some less so. The Bluetooth LE 3D-Sport and Weather offerings from Mosoro fall into the former category (if they make their way into a shipping product that is). The 3D-Sport is a motion capture device you attach to sports equipment. The on-board accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer beam motion data to your iOS device, where it can be analyzed by Rocky-style Russian coaches to see where your throw or golf swing is going wrong. The latter is a mini weather station that reads temperature, humidity, elevation, and barometric pressure to tell you the conditions where you are right now. More usefully, it nabs your GPS location and uploads it all to Mosoro’s aptly named “Cloud” Server that presumably maps out some crazy real-time crowdsourced weather report. Both also use Bluetooth 4.0′s low energy technology so they won’t need to see a charger for a long time. Now we just need a company that likes collating personal data, perhaps with a weather service, to snap this one up… any takers?

Continue reading Mosoro Bluetooth LE iOS accessories improve your golf, if the weather’s right

Mosoro Bluetooth LE iOS accessories improve your golf, if the weather’s right originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hope you weren’t planning on falling asleep tonight. We’ve got a very spooky episode of The Engadget Show coming at you this week. We get a behind the scenes tour of the technology that goes into running Manhattan’s Nightmare haunted house. And we swing by New York Comic Con, to discuss the state of digital comics and shoot the breeze with geek legends Mark Hamill and Stan Lee.

We also announce the winners of our Frankengadget contest and give away the clothes from Tim’s back to the winner of our in-studio costume contest, courtesy of Halloweencostumes.com — oh, did we mention that Tim and Brian and dressed as Darth Vader and a storm trooper this whole episode? Because they are.

Intel’s staff futurist Brian David Johnson stops by to talk about the near future of the chipmaker and the role science fiction plays in his daily work. We pay tribute to Steve Jobs with the help of some eager Apple fans. And we take a look at the iPhone 4S, Amazon Kindle and the ASUS Zenbook UX31.

Gallery: Engadget Show — October 2011

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Special guests: Brian David Johnson
Producer: Guy Streit
Director: Alexander Vietmeier
Executive Producers: Joshua Fruhlinger, Brian Heater and Michael Rubens

Download the Show: The Engadget Show – 026 (HD) / The Engadget Show – 026 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show – 026 (Small)

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The Engadget Show – 026: A visit from Intel, a trip to New York Comic Con, haunted houses and costume contests originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia 800 gets pictured, ready for its close-up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chances are, you put your TV in the most convenient spot based on where the requisite cables are feeding into your abode. And putting a set in a new room usually means someone is breaking out a drill. Well, starting October 31st, AT&T U-verse customers will no longer be constrained by wires! (Besides HDMI and power cords, that is.) The company’s new wireless receiver pairs with your AT&T-issued residential gateway and pulls in broadcasts over WiFi. What the provider claims is the first consumer wireless receiver of its type should simplify installation and free customers from the worry of running coax around their homes. You could even drag your big screen out to the patio and try to enjoy the “big game” under the glare of the sun. Just don’t make lugging your 42-incher around a habit — hernias aren’t covered by the warranty. The receivers will be available to order on Monday for a one-time fee of $49 and a $7-a-month rental fee there after. Check out the (bizarre) demo video and PR after the break.

Continue reading AT&T U-verse set-tops go wireless, free you to herniate yourself moving your HDTV around

AT&T U-verse set-tops go wireless, free you to herniate yourself moving your HDTV around originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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