HTC sends out Butterfly S and Desire 600 launch invitation in Taiwan Mobile

According to an invitation we received earlier today, HTC and Taiwanese carrier Chunghwa Telecom will be holding a joint event on June 19th to launch two devices locally: the already announced 4.5-inch, BoomSound-enabled Desire 600, along with a new Butterfly S. While no specs are mentioned here for the latter phone, our usually reliable friends over atePrice received a tip last month on what to expect: the new phone is believed to still pack a 5-inch display, but its camera will be replaced by an UltraPixel version (which is currently only featured on the One), plus its body will be slightly thicker to make way for a larger battery. And unsurprisingly, the new Taiwanese Butterfly is expected to still have a microSD card slot.

HTC's VP of North Asia Jack Tong also told ePrice recently that if there is a demand, he will speed up the process of bringing an LTE-enabled second-gen Butterfly to Hong Kong -- a city that never officially got hold of the original Butterfly. The exec believes that judging by HTC's recent market performance in Taiwan, it's possible to realize a dual-flagship strategy in other regions for the remainder of the year. Anyhow, our brethren over at Engadget Chinese will be at the launch event in Yilan, Taiwan next week, so stay tuned for our coverage.

Joystiq's Microsoft pre-event broadcast: live from E3!

E3 may not officially open until tomorrow, but the hype starts right now.Join Engadget's own Ben Gilbert and Joystiq Editor in Chief Ludwig Kietzmann as they gab about Microsoft's upcoming E3 press event. Will Redmond reveal a price? Is the DRM situation as bad as it seems? Will we actually get a good look at some games this time around? Skip on past the break for our pre-show predictions.

Google doodle throws wild rumpus for Maurice Sendak

(Credit: Google/Screenshot by CNET)

Let the wild rumpus start!

Beloved children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak gets the Google doodle treatment today on what would have been his 85th birthday.

Sendak has been a childhood touchstone for generations, rising to widespread acclaim with his 1963 book "Where the Wild Things Are" and continuing to produce work until his death in May 2012.

The doodle following a turning-wheel storyline that starts by taking boyish hero Max through the land of the Wild Things and courses through other familiar settings sprung from Sendak's imagination. The flying boy from "In the Night Kitchen" makes an appearance, a work that has the distinction of being one of the most popular books for children that's also one of the most frequently banned from libraries.

A party of Sendak's characters gather around a cake for the the author and illustrator at the conclusion.

Apple Store goes down in anticipation of WWDC

The first step is now complete.

Apple on Monday took its online store down in anticipation of today's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote. Before each press event, Apple takes its store down to update it with whatever new products it has coming. The marketplace typically comes back online just minutes after Apple's executives are done speaking.