Around half a year ago, we heard that Toyota was engineering a Prius that would get part of its energy from the sun; now, we're seeing an eerily similar story from Japan suggesting that the plan is still on. In a rather odd report, it's noted that the automaker is "secretly (oh, is it now?) developing a vehicle that will be powered solely by solar energy," though it's also working on a partially solar-powered whip that'll come out long before the pure solar alternative. Regrettably, details beyond that are few and far between, though the premise here is completely reasonable given the current economy and the desire for automobiles that run on anything other than petroleum. Guess we'll check back in six months for yet another elusive report on the so-called progress.Filed under: TransportationToyota is definitely maybe developing solar-powered car originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So yeah, the easy part about getting the SSD RAID setup of your not-so-lofty dreams is the acquisition of A-DATA's newest XPG Dual SSD RAID enclosure. The tough part is smuggling enough cash in through untraceable means to procure a few 256GB SSDs. For those who don't mind living dangerously, the aforesaid chassis is compatible with twin 2.5-inch SATA SSDs and / or HDDs mounted on a standard 3.5-inch form factor drive cage. Users can connect it to a PC via SATA or USB once those drives have been acquired and installed, but you'll have to wait until the end of this quarter to see it ship.[Via Slashgear]Filed under: StorageA-DATA launches XPG Dual SSD RAID enclosure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Say wha'?! An iPhone in a hue other than black, white, or silver? While a red model has been rumored since before the 3G even launched, we've never thought about a pink one -- let alone one hitting eBay. The text on the back of the device convinces us that this isn't a simple ColorWare job, but there aren't any photos of the back of the packaging either. Our take? Some OEM in Asia whipping up custom colors. But hey, Macworld's just under a week away, so who knows? [Thanks, Gav]Filed under: Cellphones, HandheldsMysterious pink iPhone 3G hits eBay, cue onslaught of rumors originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While most of the hype surrounding Voodoo right now pertains to the Firebird gaming tower, LAPTOP has discovered yet another undercover rig from the company's arsenal worth swooning over. Before you go getting too excited, we must caution you that the Firefly is merely a prototype at the moment, but we all know concepts are made with the intent to commercialize. With the fine print behind us, it's worth reading up on what this Voodoo DNA'd machine offered up; for starters, you'll notice a 17-inch panel and a hefty 13-pound frame. There's also a multitouch trackpad, keyboard with customizable backlighting, a secondary 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display sitting beneath the main screen, a 2.4GHz Core 2 Extreme CPU, 4GB of RAM, two ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 GPUs and a 250GB HDD. No benchmarks were allowed, but Far Cry 2 ran "silky smooth" even with details maxed. For the rest of the nitty-gritty, we'll direct you to the read link, and before you get all irate that this isn't available for purchase, just be thankful this post isn't about yet another teaser from Mr. Sood.Filed under: Laptops

It's 2009, folks, so we figured we'd start it off with a bang (and about a gazillion comments in this post). George, a proud member of the USMC, is pondering what to do about a new smartphone, and given that your New Year's resolution was undoubtedly to ditch your dumbphone in favor of a more sophisticated model, you'll probably be interested as well. "I am currently in the market for a new carrier and phone. I have Verizon now, but I am not all that happy with its service in my area. With the release of all the high end phones nowadays, one could get easily lost in the details. I currently have the LG Voyager; I like the phone, but I feel trapped and can't do much with it unless I pay for every little thing. I would like a mobile with WiFi, camera (with flash if possible), touchscreen, etc. I would like to stay under $200 with a 2-year contract. Any advice would be wonderful." It's tough, ain't it George? There's the G1, iPhone 3G, Bold, Storm -- the list rolls on. So, let's spark up a sane, intelligent conversation on the pros and cons of each, all while remembering that our ideal handset sadly didn't arrive in time for Christmas. Interested in getting your own inquiry up in here? Send one over to ask at engadget dawt com.Filed under: Ask Engadget, Cellphones

If you're going to go to the trouble of procuring an M8 from Meizu, you may as well turn it into an authentic, memorable, world-class experience by making the pilgrimage to Shenzhen, China to pick it up in its hometown. Oh, but don't just pick it up from some random street vendor -- do it up right by swinging on over to Meizu's shiny new flagship store, where you'll be able to select your M8 (or at least see renders of the M8) in a comfortable, relaxed environment while rubbing shoulders with Meizu employees. The fresh digs just opened today, and pictures from the grand opening show an epic mass of humanity waiting for the doors to unlock -- a promising sign for Meizu, and an unfortunate sign that the enochlophobes among us probably ought to wait a few weeks to make the trek.[Via Meizu Me]Filed under: Cellphones, HandheldsMeizu opens flagship store in Shenzhen originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Did you accidentally flip the switch on that OTA update to RC30 and currently find yourself stuck with a non-root lifestyle? Well thanks to forum member chavonbravo over at xda-developers, things are about to get awesome for you. You can now revert back to RC29 with ease by snagging the uploaded image, renaming, copying to your microSD card, and running through standard procedure for re-flashing the phone. We can attest that the hack does indeed work, so feel free to proceed. Word to the wise, though: getting up to a modded RC30 isn't as easy as some might have you believe, so set aside a little time to walk through the steps (check out ModMyGPhone's guide page for clear instructions).[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Filed under: CellphonesLeaked G1 firmware lets you revert to RC29 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There's certainly plenty of reasons not to turn a pair of iPods into some portable speakers -- difficulty, inevitably poor sound quality, pains of regret -- but we're guessing that the sight of the creation above will prompt at least a few folks to start scavenging for parts. Apparently taking some lessons learned from previous Altoids tin speaker mods, Jordan Horwich crafted these for a total cost of $100, which includes the cost of some front and back iPod panels and some rather extravagant shipping rates. As you might expect, the entire project is a tad tricky, and involves a good bit of soldering, plus some Dremel work to make everything fit just right. Hit up the link below for the complete details and parts list.
Filed under: Portable AudioSpeaker mod turns iPods into shells of their former selves originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's already been done on the iPhone, and it looks like G1 users can now use their handset of choice to control their computer as well. Given the G1's preponderance of input options, this new so-called RemoteDroid app is also quite a bit more capable, with it letting you take advantange of the G1's keypad, and use either the trackball or the touchscreen as a mouse (with a pair of onscreen mouse buttons provided for good measure). Head on past the break for a demo video, and hit up the link below to grab the app for yourself.
Continue reading RemoteDroid app turns your G1 into a wireless keyboard and mouseFiled under: CellphonesRemoteDroid app turns your G1 into a wireless keyboard and mouse originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're not exactly sure how we feel about an external lung (okay, we're completely grossed out, but we're a bunch of pansies when it comes to this stuff anyway), but a Welsh company is looking to introduce one such device in order to aid those with breathing problems. Haemair's Respiratory Aid and Prosthetic Lung would theoretically be worn around the belt and incorporated with a "complete prosthetic lung that will employ no electrical or mechanical parts." By being external, it enables it to be easily maintained, and the simple reversibility is important for "treating emergency and acute cases for which the device might be needed for no more than hours or weeks." As of now, the company is still developing the final product, but just as soon as it can establish that maintenance-free operation is feasible over the long-term, consider the game decidedly "on."[Via medGadget]Filed under: Misc. GadgetsHaemair envisions external prosthetic lung and respiratory aid originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iRex's Digital Reader 1000S didn't exactly do a whole a to to distinguish itself when it debuted alongside its two other 1000 series counterparts a few months back but, judging from Engadget Chinese's hands-on of the unit, it seems to at least hold its own against your average e-book reader, even if it may not be able to justify its premium price tag ($749). On the upside the 10.2-inch, 160 dpi display appears to deliver as expected, with it provided a fairly comfortable reading experience, although some small text may have you reaching for the zoom function. Unfortunately, the device as a whole seems to be a tad on the sluggish side, and there is that small matter of the price, which puts the iRex well above the likes of the Kindle and some other upstart e-book readers. Still undecided? Hit up the link below for a closer look.
Filed under: HandheldsiRex Digital Reader 1000S gets the hands on treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, that happened. Twenty-o-eight was a wild one, full of adventure, heartbreak and technology, and now that we're staring down another year of magical phones and netbooks, rumors and half-truths, it's time for the collective wisdom of Engadgetdamus (you and us) to lay down some predictions for 2009 and down a bit of two-week-old eggnog -- not necessarily in that order.See also: predictions for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.Tim: The economic downturn boosts bargain-hunting HD DVD adoption rates so high that Toshiba resurrects the format.Chris: A3000 fever sweeps the globe, leaving Motorola with a commanding 37 percent market share.Darren: ASUS expands Eee line to the ultraportable and traditional notebook market, calls them Eeee and Eeeee, respectively.Joe: slotMusic will single handedly save the music industry.Paul: Microsoft will make up for Zune's continued lack of Xbox integration with totally ingenious new methods of locking up the player.Don: Activision releases Guitar Hero: Air Guitar, Harmonix spends millions trying to play catch-up.Laura: Tiny iPhone, giant iPod.Ross: Asimo becomes self-aware, sets off on magical journey to find his true callingJosh: Steve Jobs lives.

Well, that was a wild way to end 2008, but Zune 30 users should be back in the saddle now that 2009 is here, as of about 7 am EST. In case you missed Microsoft's sage advice on the issue, you'll need to let the player completely drain its battery, then plug it back into a power source and all should be right as rain. Hopefully you didn't do anything drastic like removing the battery (voids the warranty) or use up all 10 of your free Zune Pass songs during those dark, dark hours of Zunelessness.[Via Zunerama]Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable VideoWelcome (back) to the Social originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This year we've seen the PS3's Cell processor pitch in and help break the petaflop barrier, exploit a major security hole in SSL encryption and enable adolescent hijinks on PlayStation Home. Obviously, this is one serious piece of kit. According to The Race For A New Game Machine, written by two of the folks responsible for designing the thing, the Cell (a partnership between Toshiba, Sony and IBM) was the product of a deal that opened the door to IBM selling key parts of the chip to Microsoft before they had even finished building it -- even though this was clearly not part of the plan. Essentially, Sony's R&D money was spent creating a component for their rival, helping the Xbox 360 make its launch date of November 2005, while the PlayStation 3 was pushed back a full year. It seems somewhat fitting that the troubled game system should have such dysfunctional origins, no? [Via PS3 Fanboy]Filed under: Gaming

Well, it's been a bit of a long time coming, but it looks like the Kleer-based DigiFi Opera wireless earphones are now finally available in the US, and directly from Kleer itself, no less. From the looks of it, these are the exact same phones that folks in Korea have had at their disposal for quite a few months now, with them still promising to provide CD quality sound over a 2.4GHz wireless link, and let up to three other folks listen to a single source. According to the company, you can also expect to get up to ten hours of playtime, with a USB cable provided to handle the charging duties. If that sounds like the wireless fix you've been looking for, you can snag the earphones right now in your choice of black or white for just under $100 by hitting up the link below.[Via iPodNN]
Filed under: Portable AudioKleer now offering DigiFi Opera wireless earphones in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 06:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.