Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook: 3/15/09 - 3/22/09

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/stealths-latest-fanless-mini-pc-the-core-2-duo-powered-lpc-625/

Not that we're far removed from Stealth's last fanless mini PC, but hey, there's no harm in having options, right? The company's latest, dubbed the LPC-625F, is a 7.9- x 7.9- x 2.4-inch machine that somehow houses a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of RAM, your choice of 2.5-inch HDD or SSD, integrated Intel graphics, gigabit Ethernet and a surprisingly plentiful array of ports including HDMI, four USB 2.0, RS-232 and DVI. The stock configuration sits at $1,595, but it doesn't take too many tweaks to cross the two large mark.

Gallery: Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F

Filed under: Desktops

Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see o! ur terms for use of feeds.

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MSI rolls out R4600 HDMI GPU series for HTPC builders

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/msi-rolls-out-r4600-hdmi-gpu-series-for-htpc-builders/

We won't say the homegrown HTPC is making a comeback or anything, but shortly after Lian-Li laid out a new pair of cases, in flies MSI with a new duo of media PC-centric video cards. The R4600 series is comprised of the R4650 and R4670 (ATI), both of which are available in 512MB of 1GB flavors. Aside from boasting an all-too-useful HDMI port, these cards also support 7.1-channel audio output for use with internal Blu-ray drives, and the design is such that they won't infringe on any other nearby PCIe cards. Per usual, MSI left us hanging with respect to pricing and availability, but we're going out on a limb and expecting these to be totally reasonable.

Filed under: Media PCs, Peripherals

MSI rolls out R4600 HDMI GPU series for HTPC builders originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slender Asus Eee 1008HA Priced at Â£359 [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/0NFtYN55M2M/slender-asus-eee-1008ha-priced-at-359

We don't have North American pricing for the thin and light Asus Eee 1008HA, but we do know it's European price of £359 (or about $500). So...would you? [Electricpig via Slashgear]

Apple Leaks Announcement of 17-inch iMac at $899 [IMac]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lBWpM01ZUWw/apple-leaks-announcement-of-17+inch-imac-at-899

Apple's own education site seems to have leaked news of a "new" 17-inch iMac, coming in at $899. Apple's official store still only has 20s and 24s. [Setteb.it via Apple Lounge]

Dell Adamo hands-on and video unboxing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/dell-adamo-hands-on-and-video-unboxing/

While we had a look at an early version of the Adamo at CES, we've finally gotten a chance to unwrap one from its ultra-sexy packaging and take it for a little spin. In hand, the laptop is thinner and lighter than most of this size, though it isn't quite as svelte as the Air. Its real competitor, however, appears to be the X301. We'll be doing a full review in the near future, but for now, enjoy the gallery below, and check out our video unboxing after the break.

Gallery: Dell Adamo video hands-on

Continue reading Dell Adamo hands-on and video unboxing

Filed under: Laptops

Del! l Adamo hands-on and video unboxing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/habeys-second-1080p-boasting-n270-powered-mini-htpc-brings-alo/

Following up on its impressive debut earlier this month, HABEY's unveiled the BIS-6540HD mini HTPC that, like its 6550 counterpart, is capable of running an impressive 1080p signal with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor -- special thanks go to its HD hardware decoder for that feat. The fanless unit also features up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, eight USB ports, a built-in CF socket, two SATA II ports with SSD support, DVI and VGA outputs, ethernet, and options for wireless and HD TV tuner. No word on pricing or availability, but it looks like it's being marketed as an OEM product and we suspect it'll cost more than a pretty penny. Check out the video after the break to see it rocking Planet Earth on Blu-ray.

Continue reading HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof

Filed under: Media PCs

HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, March 20, 2009

Sony Ericsson Sales Drop By Almost Half in One Quarter [Financiapocalypse]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Kv9IWvjeGrM/sony-ericsson-sales-drop-by-almost-half-in-one-quarter

Sony Ericsson, the world's 4th biggest handset maker, has reported a titanic sales decrease of almost 50% in just a few months. This is a bad thing, you see.

Reuters slapped a scary headline on this story, but it couldn't really be described as sensational. As much a terrifying portent of electronics companies' coming year as it is an indicator of the company's especially sorry state, this announcement is particularly gruesome when you consider that, unlike Palm, they don't even have an escape plan in place, or even a substantive smartphone line—one of the few areas that is expected to grow over the coming months. [Reuters]

Intel's Leaked Z550 Atom Processor For Netbooks/MIDs Reaches 2GHz [Processors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/P-E0H5MHBGg/intels-leaked-z550-atom-processor-for-netbooksmids-reaches-2ghz

Leaks suggest that Intel will be dropping a new single-core Z-series Atom proc that will be the first of the family to reach 2GHz.

Granted, the Z series is the slightly lower-powered single-core chips intended for MIDs, but it's not ridiculous to assume these could find their way into a low-cost netbook or two. The new chips use the same 2.4W as the previous 1.86GHz version, allowing them to be used in the exact same thermal conditions.

Also leaked was an ultra-low-power 1.2GHz Atom, the Z515, that uses only 1.4W of power at full-speed, and just 0.65W when scaled back to 800MHz. This means it could almost be used in a cellphone. [HKEPC (translated) via Electronista]

Cell Stickies: How People With No Friends Get Text Messages [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/VtRnj1_ky50/cell-stickies-how-people-with-no-friends-get-text-messages

I can only imagine these acetate stickers (a mere concept, sadly) of the iPhone's friendly SMS overlay being used to prank someone. But what a prank it would be. [Fiona Carswell via OhGizmo]

iTunes HD Movies Won't Play on Older Non-HDCP Monitors [ITunes]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PVJ_yN-UrUU/itunes-hd-movies-wont-play-on-older-non+hdcp-monitors

If you dropped $20 on an HD movie from iTunes since they came out yesterday, but have a newer Mac and an older external display, you might not be able to watch it.

That's because iTunes HD movies require that you have an HDCP-compliant external display. High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection is designed to prevent video from being copied as it moves across digital video interfaces. So, as iLounge points out, if you're using a Cinema Display older than Apple's 24-inch LED model (or any older DVI or VGA monitor, basically), you're screwed if you have it hooked up to a newer, HDCP-loving Mac. You just get a black box where the video should be.

It's not the first time HDCP has caused iTunes-related pain. When Apple first started rolling HDCP, they even applied the protections to standard definition content, so a whole bunch of people found out they couldn't play new movies they bought, so Apple wound up pulling back on SD, and everyone forgot about it until yesterday, when you could finally buy HD movies.

One solution iLounge proffers is to transfer the file to one of your older iTunes authorized computers, since Apple doesn't pull the HDCP mojo on them. The other is to play the movie in standard def mode—then it'll play on your monitor, but in crappy standard def.! All tog ether now: HDCP sucks. [iLounge]

BlackBerry Niagara 9630 Gets Groped: "Best BlackBerry Keyboard. Ever. Best Screen. Ever." [Blackberry Niagara 9630]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/OiM-CnEVRa0/blackberry-niagara-9630-gets-groped-best-blackberry-keyboard-ever-best-screen-ever

Boy Genius is the first to hands-on Verizon's incoming BlackBerry Niagara 9630. The initial impressions? The word "best" gets tossed around a lot. It might just be the BlackBerry Verizon customers have been waiting for:

• Best BlackBerry keyboard. Ever.
• Best BlackBerry speakers. Ever.
• Best screen. Ever. (It looks more like glass than crappy plastic)
• Best size/feel. Ever.

Coming from someone who loves BlackBerrys so much he commissioned a customized BlackBerry Bold, them's some hot and heavy words. I am pretty excited about that keyboard myself, since the Bold's is my favorite QWERTY keyboard ever, and the Niagara has the same one, minus the fat ass. [Boy Genius Report]

Nokia E71x arriving at AT&T stores, due out next Tuesday

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/nokia-e71x-arriving-at-atandt-stores-due-out-next-tuesday/

Looks like the Nokia E71x is finally about to make its long-awaited entrance on AT&T -- Boy Genius says handsets are starting to show up at stores nationwide. If all goes according to plan, this slice of subsidized style will set you back $199 on contract when it launches on March 24 -- a price that sort of makes us wish we'd sprung for that one-day-only $289 unlocked unit on Amazon. Come on, AT&T, at least hit us with that super hot white version, will you?

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia E71x arriving at AT&T stores, due out next Tuesday originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2GHz

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/intels-z5xx-series-of-atom-processors-hits-2-0ghz/

Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2.0GHz

Intel just got finished telling us how great its Atom Z5xx series of chips were, in flavors ranging from 1.1 to 1.86GHz, and how they only needed a miserly 2.2 watts or less of power. They weren't good enough, apparently, as there are two new members now joining the ranks. First is the Z550, featuring a clock speed of 2GHz while still using less than 2.4 watts. Also new is the more frugal Z515, with a dynamic clock speed ranging between 800MHz and 1.33GHz to suit you whether you're playing Solitare or watching Survivor re-runs. These chips too seem destined for mobile phones and MIDs, but we wouldn't be surprised if Sony releases a (slightly) speedier VAIO P packing a Z550 -- and then refuses to import it to the States.

[Via Pocketables]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Laptops

Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's Adobe-lovin' Quadro CX Pro GPU gets reviewed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/nvidias-adobe-lovin-quadro-cx-pro-gpu-gets-reviewed/

NVIDIA's $2,000 Quadro CX Pro GPU actually does more than just improve one's Creative Suite 4 experience, but for whatever reason, the aforementioned firm has decided to market the card's mastery of Adobe over all else. The hardcore benchmarkers over at HotHardware decided to pop this in and give it a critical look, and while they definitely appreciated the speed gains in Premiere Pro and its performance overall, they never could quite swallow that admittedly huge MSRP. In fact, they reckoned that NVIDIA would've been better off offering this up with a slower clock speed and a smaller sticker, particularly when you consider that CS4 isn't really engineered to fully take advantage of all this horsepower. Reviewers did note that something like this may be entirely more beneficial once CS5 or CS6 emerges, but for now, the card's just a bit ahead of its time (and priced accordingly). Hit the read link for the full spill -- trust us, it's worth the read if you're teetering on dropping two large.

Filed under: Peripherals

NVIDIA's Adobe-lovin' Quadro CX Pro GPU gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OPPO BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/oppo-bdp-83-universal-blu-ray-player-hands-on/

Here she is -- the world's very first universal Blu-ray player. Oh sure, we may have heard of Denon's absurdly expensive DVD-A1UD first, but that bad boy just got delayed for a second time over in Japan. OPPO, on the other hand, has managed to push out a few hundred of these BDP-83 decks to brave beta testers across America, and we were fortunate enough to score one. The player came boxed in what was far and away the most elaborate packaging we'd seen for a BD player -- particularly one that's priced at just $499 for the beta users (an MSRP for production units has yet to be finalized).

All the goods you want are here, including Blu-ray Profile 2.0 support, internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats, SACD playback and the promise of DVD-Audio compatibility in the future. Upon unboxing the unit, we were pleased with the rigid chassis and felt the design was simple yet classy. The remote seemed accommodating enough, and the port selection 'round back was admirable. We're planning to fire it up this weekend to see just how far along this beta firmware is, but 'til then, hit the gallery below to have a look at what's sure to become a favorite amongst well informed home theater aficionados.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

OPPO BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teens take pictures of space with balloon, Nikon Coolpix camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/teens-take-pictures-of-space-with-balloon-nikon-coolpix-camera/

The closest most of us 'round here will ever get to outer space is blogging about the Lunar X Prize, so our inner astronauts get rather giddy any time an amateur makes it to the cusp of the gravity well. The above photos were taken by the Meteotek team, a teacher and his four students from the IES La Bisbal school in Catalonia, Spain. The group designed and launched a balloon kitted out with a Nikon Coolpix and custom built electronics, intending to get some shots at 30,000 feet. Well exceeding their expectations, the $80 digicam (held aloft by a $60 latex balloon) reached over 100,000 feet, at which point it lost inflation and fell to the earth. As the balloon rose, the team was able to map its progress using Google Earth via the craft's on-board radio receiver. After it fell back to earth, the group "travelled 10km to find the sensors and photographic card," said one of the students, "which was still emitting its signal, even though it had been exposed to the most extreme conditions."

[Via Switched]

Filed under: Science

Teens take pictures of space with balloon, Nikon Coolpix camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercury In-Line Skates Let You Glide On a Shock-Absorbed Cushion Of Air [Skating]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/9KzNkQjlisc/mercury-in+line-skates-let-you-glide-on-a-shock+absorbed-cushion-of-air

Designed for ~~Ronald McDonald~~ optimum comfort, these Mercury in-line skates feature a shock system to minimize vibration, a removable calf plate and an air cushioned interior for an optimum fit.

The result would be less wear-and-tear on the joints, better ankle support and a ride so smooth that it is almost like true ice skating. I haven't attempted in-line skating since the mid 90's, but I would be willing to strap into some of these if they ever went into production (with a different color scheme of course). [Pouyan Mokhtarani via Tuvie via DVICE]

Gmail Lets You Take Back Sent Messages, Gets Built-in YouTube, Flickr and Yelp Previews [Gmail]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/X3tuOLNpg90/gmail-lets-you-take-back-sent-messages-gets-built+in-youtube-flickr-and-yelp-previews

Everyday, Gmail makes desktop mail clients feel a little more dated. The latest Labs features now preview stuff from YouTube (no more Rickrolling??), Flickr, Picasa and Yelp, and you can undo sending regrettable email.

Undo send, sadly, only has a five-second window to take it back (you can boost it to 10), so you better have excellent reflexes. Previews work a lot like the image preview you're used to. Here's the YouTube preview in action: [Gmail Blog, Cnet]

Lasers Become Weapons Grade For the First Time Ever [Lasers]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/pbOz2r9vQ0Y/lasers-become-weapons-grade-for-the-first-time-ever

Northrop Grumman just made a laser that measures 105 kilowatts, just north of the 100 kilowatt bar that defense researchers have called the weapons grade cutoff. Pew pew indeed.

Wired's Danger Room says that this won't be like Star Wars' blasters or Star Trek's phasers, but it can shoot "mortars and rockets" in war zones now. Two problems left to solve before we can start using lasers full time: how to dissipate heat and how to get them small enough to be practical. [Wired - Photo courtesy Northrop Grumman]

Rumored Toyota Hybrid Sportscar is Prius-based [Cars]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ddgZ4mINWMo/rumored-toyota-hybrid-sportscar-is-prius+based

The thing that's always kept me from wanting a hybrid car is that they aren't all that fast. And the ones that are fast cost too much money. That might change with Toyota's MR2 Hybrid.

The rumored MR2 Hybrid is said to be built around the Prius design, but would go 0-60 in under 7 seconds and come equipped with paddle shifters. Jalopnik thinks that the engine would be similar to the FT-HS's 3.5-liter, V6 Hybrized innards from a few of years ago. The price? Supposedly it's would only be around $24,000. I think I'm starting to get hot flashes. [Auto Express via Jalopnik]

These Carbon Nanotube Muscles Are 30 Times Stronger Than Human Muscles [Man Vs Machine]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5oL-zlmCyHk/these-carbon-nanotube-muscles-are-30-times-stronger-than-human-muscles

These next gen carbon nanotube muscles have "diamond-like" stiffness side to side, but are as flexible as rubber when moved perpendicularly. When voltage is applied to the structures, they contract with a pulling force 30 times the force per unit of human muscles.

They're also quicker. A human's muscle fibers can contract 10% per second, but these can contract 40,000 percent.

I had no idea synthetic muscles materials have come so far. A few years ago, when I was covering JPL's robotic arm wrestling challenge for Wired, the materials had a fraction of the potential of organic muscles. [Wired]

Xandros' instant-on Presto Linux distro now available for download-o

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/xandros-instant-on-presto-linux-distro-now-available-for-downlo/

It looks like those itching to try out Xandros' instant-on Presto Linux distribution needn't linger in drawn out boot processes any longer, as the beta version of the OS is now finally available for download from all the usual sources. Unlike some other instant-on OS environments, Presto is designed to sit alongside Windows rather than replace it entirely, with it giving you the option of selecting Windows or Presto each time you boot your computer. If you select the latter, you should be up and running in just "seconds," and have access to all of the apps you likely use 90% of the time. Just don't expect a free ride if you find yourself getting attached to the OS, as the final version is set to demand (an entirely reasonable) $20 when it launches on April 13th.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Xandros' instant-on Presto Linux distro now available for download-o originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft: 'Second Light is not the next version of Surface'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/microsoft-second-light-is-not-the-next-version-of-surface/

It's official, kids: Responding to numerous reports in the media as of late, Microsoft would like to squash the rumor that Second Light is the next generation Surface. The blog entry doesn't shed too much light on SL, other than stating that it's an "awesome" research project, one that "showcases the possibilities of the surface computing platform." Surface is due to come out sometime in 2011 (unless, of course, you buy the yacht -- in which case you need only wait until this June). If you just can't get enough of Second Light, we've stashed a video for you after the break.

[Via About Projectors]

Continue reading Microsoft: 'Second Light is not the next version of Surface'

Filed under: Displays

Microsoft: 'Second Light is not the next version of Surface' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG teams with Kodak for future OLED devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/lg-teams-with-kodak-for-future-oled-devices/

Details are still sparse, but Wired has it that LG Electronics has just inked a deal with OLED mainstay Kodak in order to use the latter's technology in all sorts of future devices. For those unaware, Kodak's actually been dabbling in OLED for ages now, though it rarely offers up dedicated products in order to take credit. Reportedly, LG could bake Kodak's OLED magic into devices such as mobile phones, televisions and digital photo frames, though we suspect LG has a few other out-of-the-box widgets planned as well. As much as we love the idea of an OLED watch phone, what we're really clamoring for is a big screen Scarlet with an OLED panel. Let's make it happen, alright folks?

[Via OLED-Display]

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

LG teams with Kodak for future OLED devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple adds HD video purchases to the iTunes Store

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/apple-adds-hd-video-purchases-to-the-itunes-store/

Apple's flood of announcements this month continues apace today with the addition of high-def movie purchases to the iTunes Store. Although HD TV shows were previously available to buy, HD movies were rental-only until now. HD flicks will cost you $19.99, and we're guessing they're the same H.264 compressed 720p quality as usual, so videophiles will probably want to stick to Blu-ray. Purchases will come with both an HD file and an iPod / iPhone-ready SD file, which is a nice touch, and Apple's also promising that HD rentals will now be on the store within 30 days of retail release -- better, but not perfect. It's all going live today with exclusive pre-orders of Quantum of Solace and Twilight, but honestly, we're still wondering when Apple will implement subscription video and really take it to Netflix.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Apple adds HD video purchases to the iTunes Store originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elgato ships 1080p-friendly Turbo.264 HD video conversion dongle

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/elgato-ships-1080p-friendly-turbo-264-hd-video-conversion-dongle/

Remember that brilliant Turbo.264 video conversion dongle that shipped like, two whole years ago? Yeah, it's successor has just hit the streets, and it's as ready as ever for 1080p content. The predictably titled Elgato Turbo.264 HD plugs directly into one's Mac and converts files up to 1080p (from camcorders, digital cameras, etc.) into files that are perfectly formatted for iPods, PSPs or other media players. The bundled software also lets users preview and trim video clips before converting, and it saves folks the time and hassle of importing into iMovie, learning commands, rendering and exporting. Reportedly, a video that would take an hour to convert to an iPod-friendly file takes just 15 minutes with this here dongle, and if that's worth $149.95 to you, you're one click away from brightening your own day.

[Via Electricpig]

Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Video

Elgato ships 1080p-friendly Turbo.264 HD video conversion dongle originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple to partner with LG on OLED-equipped iPhone, netbook?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/apple-to-partner-with-lg-on-oled-equipped-iphone-netbook/

A new rumor from SmartHouse is making the rounds today, with alleged sources claiming LG has partnered with Apple to make OLED displays for a new iPhone and iPod touch, a Taiwan-manufactured netbook that's reportedly already in working prototype stage, and a device with a wafer-thin screen that would link wirelessly to a content-providing box similar to Apple TV. Sure, some of that makes sense, but let's add a good bit of context here. This article in question was written by SmartHouse veteran David Richards, who in the past has brought us such winners as PlayStation 4 launching in 2008, a Xbox 360 equipped with HD DVD, and our favorite, Apple producing its own soap opera series exclusively for the iPod. We're not saying the Apple-LG partnership is entirely out of the realm of possibility, but this guy doesn't exactly have the best track record. Furthermore, this doesn't jibe with two separate reports from Dow Jones Newswire and Commercial Times / DigiTimes that Quanta is providing the screens for an upcoming Apple netbook launching in Q3. Lastly, with today's announcement that LG is licensing Kodak's OLED technology for future devices, we get the feeling the company isn't the best suited to meet Cupertino's demands. Seems like this week's barrage of Apple news has gotten to people's heads, honestly -- keep a sharp eye!

[Thanks, everyone; image courtesy of Frunny]

Read - Re! port on Apple / LG OLED partnership
Read - Articles from David Richards

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Apple to partner with LG on OLED-equipped iPhone, netbook? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New SMM exploit targets Intel CPU caching vulnerability

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/new-smm-exploit-targets-intel-cpu-caching-vulnerability/

This one delves pretty deep into head-scratching territory, but it looks like the folks at Invisible Things Lab have discovered an exploit that could open the door to some potentially serious attacks on certain Intel CPUs paired with some popular motherboards. Of course, the exploit that they've actually released is completely harmless, but it demonstrates that the CPU cache can be "poisoned" to let folks read and write into the otherwise protected SMRAM memory. As NetworkWorld notes, that could lead to some more nefarious folks developing a SMM rootkit, which would be all the more perilous considering that the user of the infected computer would have no way of detecting the attack. For its part, Intel is apparently well aware of the problem, and it has already fixed the vulnerability on some newer boards like the DQ45, but others still in widespread use (like the DQ35 pictured above) have seemingly been left hanging waiting for a fix of some sort.

[Via Network World, thanks Andrew]

Filed under: Desktops

New SMM exploit targets Intel CPU caching vulnerability originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS W90 gaming laptop gets put through its paces, 'raises the bar'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/asus-w90-gaming-laptop-gets-put-through-its-paces-raises-the-b/

Suffice it to say that Computer Shopper was really really into that ASUS W90Vp-X1 gaming notebook that popped up on Newegg recently. This nearly 12 pound behemoth, the reviewer exclaims, not only sets "new 3D-graphics and productivity-speed records," but its 18.4-inch (1,920 x 1,080) LCD is "gorgeous," sporting "incredible color quality and wide viewing angles." Also singled out for praise was the Turbo Gear app that lets you overclock the machine by as much as 17 percent (for speeds up to 3.28GHz) and a "robust" 4.1 speaker sound system. Of course, any machine will have a few quibbles, although in this case they seem to be relatively minor: no Blu-ray (though it's supposed to become available at some point in the future) and a 2 megapixel webcam with "grainy" image quality (although "it's more than adequate for Skyping and chatting"). But that ain't all -- hit the read link for all the lurid details, including the hair-raising results of the Company of Heroes DirectX 9 test (spoiler: the word "blistering" was used).

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS W90 gaming laptop gets put through its paces, 'raises the bar' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba's auxiliary speaker cancels noise from main speaker

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/toshibas-auxiliary-speaker-cancels-noise-from-main-speaker/

Er, something like that. Reportedly, Toshiba has conjured up some sort of newfangled technology that's able to more accurately reproduce sound by using a noise canceling auxiliary speaker. Specifically, the tech utilizes "sound from an auxiliary speaker to eliminate noise generated from the main speaker," and in case your wild guess wasn't good enough, it relies on "opposite-phase sound waves generated from the auxiliary speaker attached to the main speaker" to make it all happen. We know, our head is spinning just as fast as yours here, and it's all the more difficult to comprehend without an actual product to demonstrate. That said, Tosh is planning to conduct research and development in order to implement this into its own products, so hopefully we'll be seeing something a touch more tangible real soon.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Toshiba's auxiliary speaker cancels noise from main speaker originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

UFO Spotted Over China [Ufo]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/30MdAawgzNs/ufo-spotted-over-china

Chinese officials have reported a UFO sighting while they were on an airplane and, in case anyone thought it was just a case of baijiu-induced hallucinations, they snapped pictures of it too.

In a report from Xinhua, the government-sponsored news agency, a group of journalists and officials were on a Southern Airlines flight in late February when one of them noticed an unusual luminous object traveling alongside their vessel.

After excitedly pointing it out to everyone around him, one journalist managed to snap a few photos before the object suddenly changed directions and swerved north east. The witnesses debated whether it had been a plane – but later, another plane did appear and everyone agreed that it looked nothing like the unidentified object they'd just seen.

Altogether, the alleged UFO sighting lasted about a minute. Any idea what it could have been? Aliens? Solar flares? AMERICAN SPIES?! [Xinhua]

Safari Cracked in Seconds at Pwn2Own Hacking Competition [Browsers]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/V0qu0SAkrIw/safari-cracked-in-seconds-at-pwn2own-hacking-competition

At the annual Pwn2Own competition, where hackers compete to crack software as fast as possible so you don't sleep at night, browsers were on the first day's menu. And Safari went down in seconds.

Security researcher Charlie Miller hacked Safari in just 10 seconds, then used a remote-execution exploit to take over the up-to-date MacBook and make it do his dirty bidding. Firefox and Internet Explorer 8 (which you can download at noon today) fell within a few hours to Nils, a master's student who busted all three browsers wide open. They each won $5000. Day 2 will offer more $5000 prizes for discovering new bugs in Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

Mobile phone OS's will also be part of the event, with $10,000 for cracking any of the five majors: iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Symbian and Android. Care to take bets on which one will go down first? [Pocket Lint]

BlackBerry Niagara 9630 Coming to Verizon in May [Rumor]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lvf-roJsGN4/blackberry-niagara-9630-coming-to-verizon-in-may

The BlackBerry Niagra—son of the Bold and Curve—is coming to Verizon in May, according to analysts "familiar with the plan." Makes sense, given how much of it we've been peeking lately. Who's excited??? [TheStreet]

iPhone 3.0 OS Reveals New iPhones, iPods and the Mysterious "iProd" [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/q15vWkLYYtw/iphone-30-os-reveals-new-iphones-ipods-and-the-mysterious-iprod

The iPhone 3.0 OS has references to brand new iPhone models (not just one, but two), a new iPod and the mysterious "iProd."

A quick rundown on Apple model naming conventions. The original iPhone is known as iPhone1,1 and the iPhone 3G is iPhone1,2. The first number refers to the overarching model, so when it changes, it indicates a a genuinely new product, not simply a bump in storage capacity (or even the mere addition of 3G). So that the models referenced in the iPhone 3.0's OS are iPhone3,1; iPod3,1; iFPGA; and iProd0,1 is is worth noting—we're talking significant hardware updates to the iPhone and iPod touch worthy of a new model number.

iPhone2,1 was first discovered back in October, though it's not the first mysterious Apple device to turn up in sites' traffic logs.

The iFPGA model is likely something never to be released, reckons Ars. But what of the mysterious iProd? The string 0,1 indicates it's a prototype or codename, since products are released at 1,1. Could this generic iProduct—if it's not in fact a touchscreen cattle prod, which would be excellent—be that long-fabled Mac tablet/netbook/wet dream? Or! maybe i t's something else altogether, like magic French toast. Mmmm. [Ars]

BeamBox Evolution R-1 pico available for pre-order, shipping April 1

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/beambox-evolution-r-1-pico-available-for-pre-order-shipping-apr/

BeamBox has just announced it's taking pre-orders for the Evolution R-1 pocket projector. If you've forgotten, the R-1 boasts an LCoS chip, with a brightness of 30 lumens, a 200:1 contrast ratio and VGA (640 x 480) resolution. The little guy has up to 4GB of onboard Flash memory, plus a microSD slot. It weighs in at about 175 grams, and will run you £260 (about $364), and is expected to ship on April 1st.

Filed under: Displays

BeamBox Evolution R-1 pico available for pre-order, shipping April 1 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel SIMD Accelerator promises to boost MID performance

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/intel-simd-accelerator-promises-to-boost-mid-performance/

Intel isn't offering a whole lot of details on this one just yet, but the company has let out an early word of a new and improved SIMD Accelerator it's currently working on, which promises to boost the graphics performance of MIDs while also consuming ten times less power than the accelerators now used. The SIMD itself (or Single Instruction, Multiple Data) works by executing multiple computing instructions at once, while apparently allows for onscreen graphic images to be "done faster." Of course, Intel isn't saying at all about an actual release just yet, but it does say that the project is "aimed at enhancing future Intel products," so it seems reasonable to assume that it'll eventually find its way into a standard MID platform.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Handhelds

Intel SIMD Accelerator promises to boost MID performance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beta driver allows AMILO GraphicBooster to shed the external display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/beta-driver-allows-amilo-graphicbooster-to-shed-the-external-dis/

Fujitsu Siemens's AMILO GraphicBooster has already proven itself to be pretty capable when hooked up to an external monitor, but a new beta driver now looks set to make the add-on even more convenient, and let you use it with the Sa 3650 laptops' own display. Better still, that apparently doesn't come at much, if any, expense to performance, but any other details (including word of availability) are unfortunately a bit light at the moment. You can draw your own conclusions from the video after the break, however, although Fujitsu Siemens' inability to produce a video in the proper aspect ratio may not inspire all that much confidence.

[Thanks, Max_P]

Continue reading Beta driver allows AMILO GraphicBooster to shed the external display

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops, Peripherals

Beta driver allows AMILO GraphicBooster to shed the external display originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beta driver allows AMILO GraphicBooster to shed the external display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/beta-driver-allows-amilo-graphicbooster-to-shed-the-external-dis/

Fujitsu Siemens's AMILO GraphicBooster has already proven itself to be pretty capable when hooked up to an external monitor, but a new beta driver now looks set to make the add-on even more convenient, and let you use it with the Sa 3650 laptops' own display. Better still, that apparently doesn't come at much, if any, expense to performance, but any other details (including word of availability) are unfortunately a bit light at the moment. You can draw your own conclusions from the video after the break, however, although Fujitsu Siemens' inability to produce a video in the proper aspect ratio may not inspire all that much confidence.

[Thanks, Max_P]

Continue reading Beta driver allows AMILO GraphicBooster to shed the external display

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops, Peripherals

Beta driver allows AMILO GraphicBooster to shed the external display originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/usb-tethering-publish-video-and-find-my-iphone-found-in-os-3-0/

Apple touted quite a few new iPhone features at yesterday's OS 3.0 event, but now that the beta build is trickling out, there's been a bevy of unearthed discoveries to further pique our interests. First up, the gang at Boy Genius Report found an option to enable the "Find My iPhone" service in the MobileMe settings. Unfortunately, that's all we've got, but we wouldn't put it past Cupertino to build some me.com-linked location tracker that'd be the envy of Orwell himself -- hey, that'd be pretty useful if you accidentally left the mobile in a taxi. Also in the MobileMe section, it now says Publish Video when you go to publish an image. It's an odd typo, to be sure, and while video recording has been near the top of our wishlist for some time, we're not about to get our hopes up. Finally, Mac Rumors is reporting that a hacker has dug up and successfully activated the USB tethering capabilities. Apple's Scott Forstall had mentioned the devs were building it in, but were still in talks with the carriers. As to whether any or all of these functions will actually end up in the final OS 3.0 build, your guess is a good as ours. For now, check out more pics of the MobileMe additions after the break.

[Thanks everyone who sent this in!]

Read - Find My iPhone
Read - USB Tethering

Continue reading USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0!

Filed under: Cellphones

USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modistech unveils flexible, ultrathin OLED light in Korea

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/modistech-unveils-flexible-ultrathin-oled-light-in-korea/

We just heard that the OLED market was set to skyrocket in 2011, but don't tell Modistech. Said outfit has just revealed its own flexible, ultrathin OLED light module in South Korea, which honestly looks eerily similar to Samsung's "flapping" OLED panels from last fall. Details are pretty scant right now, but we're told to expect mass production within the next year, with public availability penciled in for -- you guessed it -- 2011. Hit the read link for a few more delightful looks.

[Via OLED-Display]

Filed under: Displays

Modistech unveils flexible, ultrathin OLED light in Korea originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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