Engadget Podcast 095 - 12.01.2006

We're in the home stretch before the holidays, so it's not that much of a surprise that we're seeing a slew of last minute gadget launches before buyers clear out the old credit card and go on a binge. Lots of scoops on early 2007 devices like the HP IQ770, DirecTV SAT-GO, and Samsung K3 have kept things interesting, and if you're looking for a new cellphone, right now's a great time to be on the hunt. All this and a bit more on this week's Engadget podcast. Have a great weekend!

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Hosts: Peter Rojas and Ryan Block

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Music: Solvent - Instructograph (Ghostly International)

Program:

01:30 - HP IQ770 "Crossfire" 19-inch touchscreen Vista PC revealed!
09:14 - DirecTV to unveil SAT-GO
11:10 - Samsung launching YP-K3, little bro to the K5
14:20 - Zune takes #2 spot in retail launch week
17:42 - Optimus 103 keyboard demands $1,200 pricetag -- yes, you read that right
20:34 - Pictures emerge of Sprint's Motorola Q
21:44 - Palm Treo 680 launches on Cingular, $199
24:52 - The HTC Cavalier: followup to the Excalibur
26:28 - Verizon LG enV launches, QWERTY nerds rejoice
29:28 - It's official: YouTube and Verizon ink deal
34:11 - Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide!
35:34 - Gears of peace: Engadget & Major Nelson Vs. you and your pals
37:04 - How To: Consolize an arcade game

LISTEN (MP3)
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LISTEN (OGG)

Contact the podcast: 1-888-ENGADGET, Engadget (Gizmo Project) or podcast at engadget dawt com

[tomicide @ Dec 1st 2006 5:33PM]

ZUNE: the big Q. is the durability of the unit, iPods record for longevity is not great when i here people saying they only had the units for a year or two and they die (how hard are they on the units?) I've never owned a iPod. 2000 (before the iPod) i used my Compaq iPaq for playing music, Now I'm using a palm T5 (I added an open source program that i can play ogg) and i love it, the clean interface of palmOS i miss the inherent tweek-ability of windows pocketPC, but the color and bigger screen. for now I'll stick with PDA's for there versatility.

QUESTION: What is your guy's opinion on the term PodCast and do you think Apple has any rights to the term?

EXPLANATION: Apple is trying to keep a hold on iPod Pod (rightfully so to a point)(iPodder, iPodderX, myPodder, Podcast Ready etc) and to some degree the term PodCast granted they have popularized it to some degree but they didn't invent it. and secondly, but Compaq was using iPaq longer did they in some since take the popularity of the term iPaq to boost the popularity of the iPod. when the iMac came out I first thought of iPaq (which at the time was a PDA and small computers like the iMac but by Compaq) who started the whole thing of putting a small i in front of a word should that person go after apple. Maybe that's why Apple allowed HP to make iPods.

[winchou @ Dec 2nd 2006 1:04PM]

Just wanted to concur with you guys that Palm likes chubby. Went to the local Cingular store and got play with the Trteo 680 for a while. Liked it. The chubbiness is, IMHO the result of have a great 320x320 touch-screen -- so that the "organizer" functions stay at the level of any other Palm device. I think that's Palm's strength: it's a great organizer. I tried very hard to use my current phone's calendar, note taking and other functions, but I can't see things in any way that is useful on the tiny tiny screen; inputting with the alpha-numeric keys is awful. Similarly, I've tried using those fuctions on my iPod (tho I cannot, of course input), and that's barely useful, too. So I can now eliminate by old phone and Palm combo with a 680. Got the educational pricing on an unlocked 680 and a free music package ( w/ 1GB card) for $350 -- which seems pretty reasonable. Do I wish it were thinner? Sure, but I get to eliminate two other devices from my bag -- and it makes that less chubby.

[Big Sam @ Dec 5th 2006 1:18AM]

A better way to get YouTube or other video sites on your phone:
http://www.orb.com/all_youtube

If you have a phone that can support it anyway. I love my 8525 :)

[Winder @ Dec 25th 2006 10:59PM]

It's been a month since your last podcast, when is the update one.

[Jason Preston @ Dec 29th 2006 5:42PM]

Hey guys - I figure that some portion of the Engadget team will be attending CES again this year. I'd like to extend an invite to the bloggers-only party hosted by the Blog Business Summit team on January 9th.

We've got more information on the party at our website, cesbloggers.com, on the "blogger party" page.

If any of you are interested in going, just give Teresa an e-mail (left the address with this comment) and we'll get you set up.

[Jimmy B @ Dec 31st 2006 3:18PM]

i know you're probably really busy having time away from engadget (and have a real good time guys and a happy new year) but could you let us all know roughly when you think the podcast might resume

[Karl Viklund @ Jan 1st 2007 2:09PM]

Whats is up with the Podcast? :(
I really really hope the Podcast will resume soon. This was one of my favorites. Loved and missed by many :/

[AllanG @ Jan 8th 2007 8:34AM]

I'm really missing you guys as well -- but I think it will all pay off with CES and Apple coverage in the next couple of weeks. Don't disappoint us!