Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

IBM's Sequoia: 20x faster than the world's fastest supercomputer

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/ibms-sequoia-20x-faster-than-the-worlds-fastest-supercomputer/

Roadrunner? Pfff, your chart-topping 1.105 petaflops are laughable. IBM just announced its 20-freaking-petaflop Sequoia supercomputer due for delivery by 2012. While supercomputer speeds have steadily increased year-over-year, a near 20x jump in calculations per second since the last world ranking is unheard of, even if the system has yet to come on-line. Slated to spend its life simulating nuclear explosions, Sequoia will use 45-nm (PowerPC, presumably) processors with 16 cores per chip for as many as 4,096 processors per rack. That's a total of 1.6 million cores assisted by 1.6 petabytes of memory. Perhaps all this processing power might help IBM understand the futility of its Lotus Notes strategy.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

IBM's Sequoia: 20x faster than the world's fastest supercomputer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

iriver SPINN spotted in the wild wearing all black attire

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/iriver-spinn-spotted-in-the-wild-wearing-all-black-attire/

We're not going to bother asking this here SPINN if it's headed to a funeral, but we will ask iriver if it has any plans on shipping an all black variant to the US of A. Currently, the only hue Americans can find is the tried and true silver, but based on a smattering of photographs posted on the Korean iriver forums, we get the feeling a dark, dark version is in the works for at least some sections of the globe. Let's all cross our fingers in unison and hope our homeland is included in that bunch, yeah?

[Via DAP Review]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

iriver SPINN spotted in the wild wearing all black attire originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

First Acer-branded smartphone a Glofiish DX900 rebadge?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/first-acer-branded-smartphone-a-glofiish-dx900-rebadge/

There's bound to be more, but the first leaked Acer handset expected to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress is no more than a rebadge of a device obtained through its acquisition of E-Ten. The Glofiish DX900 was announced in mid-2008 with dual-SIM support, GPS, a 3 megapixel camera, and a 2.8-inch VGA touchscreen riding a Windows Mobile 6.1 OS -- that all stays the same. In other words, if the leak is accurate, then this particular device will see a new logo and that's about it. Still, the MWC invite specifically said "smartphones launch" so we're not corking the fat lady just yet.

[Via Unwired View]

Filed under: Cellphones

First Acer-branded smartphone a Glofiish DX900 rebadge? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toshiba TG01 with 4.1-inch WVGA touchscreen: a world's first Snapdragon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/toshiba-tg01-with-4-1-inch-wvga-touchscreen-a-worlds-first-sna/

Finally, an honest to goodness Qualcomm Snapdragon device is about to land in the form of the Toshiba TG01. The 9.9-mm thin handset will feature a 4.1-inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) touchscreen display, HSDPA data, GPS, WiFi, a microSD slot, and custom Tosh 3D GUI to hide the Windows Mobile 6.1 uglies within. Most notable is that 1GHz Snapdragon chip that Toshiba claims makes the TG01 considerably faster than any device currently on the market with the promise to "revolutionize the mobile entertainment world." Perhaps that's where the DivX support comes in? We'll see when the TG01 is unveiled at Mobile World Congress in less than two weeks followed by an expected summery launch. One more picture after the break.

Update: Oh man, the hands-on photo galleries from the London launch are coming up over at Pocket-Lint and Electricpig, the latter with head-to-head pics of the TG01 against the 12.3-mm iPhone 3G chubster and BlackBerry Bold. She's definitely a slim-lined beauty but we have our doubts about that stripey UI. Hey Tosh, where's the Android OS we saw running on Snapdragon at CES?

[Via Pocket-Lint and Stuff.TV]

Continue reading Toshiba TG01 with 4.1-inch WVGA touchscreen: a world's first Snapdragon

Filed under: Cellphones

Toshiba TG01 with 4.1-inch WVGA touchscreen: a world's first Snapdragon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Seagate's 2TB Constellation ES is rife with potential space puns

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/seagates-2tb-constellation-es-is-ripe-with-potential-space-puns/

It's been a long time coming, but Seagate's finally unveiled its first 2TB hard drive, the 3.5-inch Constellation ES. The hefty spinner also comes in 500GB and 1TB varieties and runs at 7,200RPM, which should make it a bit faster than Western Digital's behemoth, according to reviews for the latter. It'll be out calendar Q3, which we take to be fancy schmancy business talk for "this Summer." Meanwhile, the 2.5-inch ES-less Constellation line sports 3 Gbps SATA and SAS 2.0 interface. Look for this one in 160GB and 500GB sizes sometime this quarter, with Dell said to be one the first companies to offer the drives. Check out one more out-of-this-world promotional image after the break.

Continue reading Seagate's 2TB Constellation ES is rife with potential space puns

Filed under: Storage

Seagate's 2TB Constellation ES is rife with potential space puns originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

New iPhone in June? Somebody seems to think so

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/new-iphone-in-june-somebody-seems-to-think-so/

Apple has a habit of refreshing its iPod and iPhone-type products on a pretty regular schedule, so a new iPhone in June really wouldn't be the surprise of the century, but now we've got word to that effect from the United Arab Emirates. Etisalat is picking up the iPhone 3G over there, along with providing support for existing iPhones sold on the gray market, but the writeup in Business 24/7 makes mention of a brand new iPhone hitting in June, which Etisalat will also get at launch. This could easily be a misunderstanding on the part of the reporter, a misquote, or a combination of signs, portents and omens, but it's certainly an interesting little tidbit. We'd have to think that anyone liable to get this story right would also be aware that a brand new iPhone would be worth more than a passing reference, but we suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Apple Insider also mentions rumblings of an upcoming iPhone having a fairly significant architecture overhaul -- that's mostly conjecture at this point, but might make sense (or room) for an iPhone nano. And you know how we love the iPhone nano.

[Via Apple Insider]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

New iPhone in June? Somebody seems to think so originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Is AT&T prepping to launch the LG Neon?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/is-atandt-prepping-to-launch-the-lg-neon/

We have to admit, we're all kinds of excited to see AT&T's LG Neon pop up this morning, and while dressed in a new green suit, it looks strikingly like LG's KS360. While we've nothing official to go on, the pics speak volumes -- and if we were betting types, we'd gamble it's quite likely the real deal. Featuring a sliding QWERTY keyboard, 2.4-inch touchscreen display, and if it lines up with its twin, a 2 megapixel cam, Bluetooth, and FM radio should be in the package. The LG KS360 lacks 3G, but with just about every AT&T set in the stable featuring that connectivity, we're hoping there's been an upgrade. No words or thoughts on the when or the how much, but phoneArena has a pile of pics if you want to see more.

Filed under: Cellphones

Is AT&T prepping to launch the LG Neon? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Monday, February 02, 2009

Dell's Mini 12 dissected for your viewing pleasure

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/01/dells-mini-12-netbook-dissected-for-your-viewing-pleasure/

It's taken quite awhile for someone to gather up the courage to do it, but at long last, Dell's cutesy Mini 12 has been stripped of its dignity and dissected for the world to see. Honestly, there isn't much in this netbook that you haven't already seen in similar alternatives, but those unable to resist the allure of undressed gadgets will still want to give the read link a visit. Or two, depending on your level of self-restraint.

Filed under: Laptops

Dell's Mini 12 dissected for your viewing pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Stimulant's XRay mobile app brings SecondLight to any 'ol Surface

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/01/video-stimulants-xray-mobile-app-brings-secondlight-to-any-ol/

Video: Stimulant's XRay mobile app brings SecondLight to any 'ol Surface

When Microsoft demonstrated Surface we were impressed. Then, when they later showed off SecondLight, we were even more impressed -- and then were sorry for anyone who had made the considerable investment in one of the earlier, singularly-lighted tables. We're feeling better now (thanks for asking) after seeing a video demonstration of XRay, a mobile app from Stimulant (who earlier blended a Wii Balance Board with a Surface) that provides similar functionality; letting you effectively see secondary images on the touch-table. The app relies on the ability of the Surface to detect where the phones are, communicating that position to tell them what to display and in what orientation. First up was the iPhone, as seen above, but the app has apparently already been ported to Windows Mobile and Android, meaning most-anyone can get in on the action -- assuming they have both a smart table and smart phone. A-ha-inspired video included below for your '80s flashback amusement.

Continue reading Video: Stimulant's XRay mobile app brings SecondLight to any 'ol Surface

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: Stimulant's XRay mobile app brings SecondLight to any 'ol Surface originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Verizon softens the blow, offers $200 rebates on VAIO P wireless broadband activations

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/01/verizon-softens-the-blow-offers-200-rebates-on-vaio-p-wireless/

Yeah, $900 for the netbook, and a hefty chunk of change for Verizon data -- you're not made of money, right? Verizon Wireless is making things a little easier on VAIO P buyers hesitant to activate 3G service, and offering $200 rebates, in the form of a debit card, if they sign up for a two-year data contract. Hopefully Sony's working up a similar rebate program to help with the uptick in eye care due to that impossibly high resolution screen.

Filed under: Laptops, Wireless

Verizon softens the blow, offers $200 rebates on VAIO P wireless broadband activations originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Netflix considering premium price tiers for additional streaming content?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/01/netflix-considering-premium-price-tiers-for-additional-streaming/

Look, some people are perfectly content to swap a DVD with Netflix once a millenia and watch Matthew Broderick and Michelle Pfeiffer in Ladyhawke on their Xbox 360 -- other people demand something a bit more "hip" on their Instant Watch queue. Netflix is apparently investigating the possibility of an additional $10 monthly fee to watch HBO shows and movies on the streaming service, or at least has a poll to that effect. For people that keep cable around just for things like HBO and Showtime, it's an attractive proposition, and perhaps a bit of an inevitability, but at $10 a month we'd expect Netflix to toss in a bit more premium content than just what one channel has to offer. What's clear is that either way, people are going to find a way to watch this stuff online, and the first provider to figure out the right way to monetize and distribute it wins. This seems like a tentative step in the right direction, if it comes to pass.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Netflix considering premium price tiers for additional streaming content? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Crackulous released, promises to bust iPhone app protection scheme

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/crackulous-released-promises-to-bust-iphone-app-protection-sche/

If Apple's sat back and let the iPhone hacking community do its thing in peace (well, relative peace) so far, this little gem just might be what the doctor ordered to stir up the crap. Crackulous -- available now in beta form through Cydia -- claims to be able to strip the protection off most apps downloaded from the App Store, meaning that just a single user needs to take the plunge and buy a target app once to get it busted and into free circulation. You need a jailbroken iPhone to get Crackulous loaded, naturally -- you'll see Apple make a Windows Mobile-powered device before you'll see Crackulous in the App Store -- but seeing how PwnageTool is dead simple to use, this puts most users just a couple graphical tools away from foolproof piracy and the golden opportunity to take a few hard-earned bucks out of a programmer's pocket.

[Via Funky Space Monkey]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Crackulous released, promises to bust iPhone app protection scheme originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

IBM develops computerized voice that actually sounds human

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/ibm-develops-computerized-voice-that-actually-sounds-human/

If there's one thing that still grates our nerves, it's automated calling systems. Or, more specifically, the robotic beings that simply fail to understand our slang and incomprehensible rants. IBM's working hard and fast to change all that, with a team at the company's Thomas J Watson research division developing and patenting a computerized voice that can utter "um," "er" and "yes, we're dead serious." The sophisticated system adds in the minutiae that makes conversation believable to Earthlings, and it's even programmed to learn new nuances and react to phrases such as "shh." The technology has been difficulty coined "generating paralinguistic phenomena via markup in text-to-speech syntheses," and while exact end uses have yet to be discussed publicly, we can certainly imagine a brave new world of automated CSRs.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

IBM develops computerized voice that actually sounds human originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sony's Mofiria biometrics to be trotted out sometime this year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/sonys-mofiria-biometrics-to-be-trotted-out-sometime-this-year/

We don't know anybody who seriously relies on biometrics -- except, of course, those of you who rushed out late last year to pick up your very own BioMirage Coffer -- but if this is your bag, take note: Sony has just announced Mofiria, their new high speed, compact biometric solution for mobile devices. Similar to Fujitsu's PalmSecure, the technology uses near infrared LEDs and a CMOS sensor to capture a snapshot of your veins. Apparently, vein patterns vary from person to person and from finger to finger, and don't change throughout a person's life -- making them perfect for use in authentication. Of course, passwords should also vary from person to person, and computer to computer, but Sony won't ever be able to charge extra for a secure password. And that's really what all this is about, isn't it? No word on a price yet, but this bad boy should roll out sometime in 2009. PR after the break.

Continue reading Sony's Mofiria biometrics to be trotted out sometime this year

Filed under: Peripherals

Sony's Mofiria biometrics to be trotted out sometime this year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Friday, January 30, 2009

Alpha version of Intel's Moblin OS released for brave netbookers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/30/alpha-version-of-intels-moblin-os-released-for-brave-netbookers/

Alpha version of Intel's Moblin OS released for brave netbookers

It's been nearly a year since we were first confused about what this whole Moblin thing was going to be, but now here it is released to the wild, roaming about in alpha form and looking to find a home for itself in your netbook. If you haven't been following along, Moblin is a custom flavor of Linux that Intel has been whipping up for installation on devices using its chips, particularly the Atom but Core 2 processors as well. It's based on Fedora and, as of this release, is confirmed to work on Acer's Aspire One and Dell's Mini, though Eee peeps can check it out too -- so long as they don't mind living without WiFi. Mind you, this is still a very early version and there's a ways to go before a final release, so feel free to sit this round out if you're not into the whole bleeding edge thing.

[Via Ars Technica]

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

Alpha version of Intel's Moblin OS released for brave netbookers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)