Monday, April 13, 2009

Chrome Bookmark Sorter Rearranges Bookmarks Recursively [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/OTce_5L41VM/chrome-bookmark-sorter-rearranges-bookmarks-recursively

Windows only: Reader James got tired of waiting for Google Chrome's bookmark manager to allow better sorting options—so he wrote up a small app that gets the job done.

Google Chrome's bookmark manager allows simple sorting by title and for a single folder, but James wanted more, so he created this utility to sort recursively by name or date added through all of your bookmarks. Using the utility is easy enough—just close all the open Chrome windows, launch the application and choose from the sorting options, and your bookmarks and folders will be sorted recursively.

Chrome Bookmark Sorter is a free download for Windows only. James asked us to provide the download here, so we've provided a direct link to the file. Thanks, James!

For more useful Chrome utilities, be sure and check out the previously mentioned Google Chrome Backup tool and our power user's guide to Google Chrome.



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The Beginner's Guide to Creating Virtual Machines with VirtualBox [How-to]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/9XeN-MYAdvw/the-beginners-guide-to-creating-virtual-machines-with-virtualbox

Virtual machines can seem juuuuust a bit too geeky for most otherwise computer-friendly people. That's sad, because it's an easy, free way to try or use a separate OS without messing with your hard drive.

What's virtualization? Why get that nerdy?

Virtualization is a whole computer concept unto itself, at least on the server/enterprise/big-fancy-corporate level. For home users, talk about "virtual machines" generally refers to x86 virtualization. Basically, it's software that allows an entire operating system (the "guest") to run on another OS (the "Host"), whether in a container window, or full-screen, or in what's sometimes called a "seamless" mode, where just one application is run from the "guest"

Why would you want to run a virtual machine on your computer? Plenty of reasons:

  • You like using one OS, but need just an app or two from another running in their natural environments—Office or Photoshop in Windows (nine times out of 10), a light-on-resources game, or maybe even some uber-cool Linux app.
  • You want to try out some new software, but would rather not chance it mucking up the pretty decent system you've got right now.
  • Web sites that don't play nice with the operating system you're running (we're looking at you, almost every streaming site except Hulu and YouTube).
  • You're intrigued at the idea of trying out a Linux desktop, but the word "partitioning" doesn't sound like how you want to spend a Saturday afternoon.

For those and many other good reasons, we're going to walk through installing VirtualBox, a free, open-source virtualization tool offered for Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops, and ! then get virtual copies of Windows XP and Ubuntu running inside them. Installing Windows Vista (Ultimate or Business only, unfortunately) or the Windows 7 beta is about the same process, and almost any Linux distribution is friendly as a virtual machine, but this will give you an understanding of the basic process. Before you even ask, by the way, you can't run OS X as a guest system on Windows or Linux, but the VirtualBox can run most anything else—including those pre-rolled virtual images you find laying around the internet.

I have to note here that VirtualBox is far from the only competitor in this field—in fact, many in the tech community report that VMWare's Workstation offers more features and handles multiple virtual machines better. But VirtualBox is relatively easy to set up, free to install, and works on all three major operating systems.

Setting up

First off, head over to VirtualBox's Download page and grab the right copy for your system. The only real choice falls on Linux users having to choose between 32- and 64-bit versions for their particular distribution—you don't want to run a 64-bit guest on a 32-bit host machine, if you can avoid it. Linux users should note that while there may be a version of VirtualBox available in their repository, it's usually the Open Source Edition, which may not be as up-to-date as the VirtualBox download page, and doesn't offer support for USB devices, along with a few other odds and ends.

Click through the install screens; in most cases, you won't have to stop and change anything. You'll probably get a warning that VirtualBox will have to disconnect and re-connect your network connection for a few seconds while i! t's sett ing up, so finish up any crucial net transfers.

During setup on Windows, you'll be asked to install "device software" or "drivers"—hit "Install" for each, or check the box that indicates you'll "Always trust ..." Sun's drivers.

Once VirtualBox is installed, launch it and you'll arrive at a tauntingly empty screen:


Setting up

Let's get something running in there. One big advantage of virtual machines over partitioning, dual-booting, and all that other hard-drive-tweaking stuff is the ability to install a system right from an ISO file. So if you're testing out a Linux system, just download the ISO from Ubuntu, Fedora, or wherever. And if you've got an older XP installation disc, you can slipstream the latest service pack into it to create a minimal-hassle installation ISO image, and never bother burning it. While you're at it, check out Adam's guide to trimming down Windows to the bare essentials for a real speedy virtual installation ISO. If you've got your installation CD or DVD, however, that'll play, too.

Hit "New" and you'll be asked to give your system a name you'll recognize—in my case, an XP system I'll unleash all my morning Lifehacker test downloads on—and let VirtualBox know generally what variety and flavor it is. Linux users tryin! g out a funky remix can head for Linux->Other Linux.

This next screen asking for a memory allocation seems imposing—I won't give it enough! I'll kill my host system with too much!—but you can entirely change it later on. VirtualBox will recommend a minimum amount, based on the OS you said you were installing, but your common sense will pay off here. I'm usually not running anything intensive on my system with 2GB of memory, so if lost half a GB, or 512MB, I'd probably not notice much. Your mileage will certainly vary, but try peeling off as much as you can at first, then scale it back if you notice your system becoming unstable, or bump it up if you get frustrated with a lag-tastic system-in-a-system.

The next screen asks you to either create a new hard disk image or use an existing one. Assuming this is a first install, keep Boot Hard Disk checked and hit Next to create the image. Hit Next again at the start of the "New Virtual Disk Wizard" (they keep changing the name from "Virtual" to "image," but it's all the same), then you'll be asked to choose a dynamically expanding image or a fixed-size storage. This depends on how much space you're willing to give your virtual OS. Do you have just 8GB you want to give over, and don't want it reaching past that? Choose the fixed-size option, set a size amount in gigabytes, and relax. Or you can choose "dynamically expanding," which, just like it sounds, allots only a little bit of space at first, but will re-report itself to the virtual system as bigger if the OS needs a bit more space.

If you happen to have multiple SATA hard drives in your system, or a fast external SATA, the How-To Geek recommends placing your virtual machine image (the "guest") on a separate physical dri ve from the machine running it (the "host") for better multi-tasking and performance speed, plus a little less wear on a single hard drive. If not, don't worry about it too much, and don't go creating separate partitions for your machines, because you aren't fooling anybody, least of all your system's I/O bus.

Booting up

Assuming everything went well, you'll see your new virtual system in the left-hand pane of the VirtualBox window. Huzzah! But before you hit "start," let's hit "Settings" and get it ready to roll the right way. The first category from the left-hand menu, General, lets you change how much base memory (or RAM) and video memory is given over to the virtual machine. Unless you're planning to enable 3D effects, the default chosen for video memory should be fine, and the 3D acceleration box can remain un-checked. Let's move down to "CD/DVD-ROM."

Make sure "Mount CD/DVD Drive" is checked. If you're going to install your virtual system from a boot CD or DVD, put it in your computer's drive, then select "Host CD/DVD Drive." If you're using a downloaded or custom-made ISO file, select "ISO Image file," hit the folder icon to the right of the drop-down box, and then hit the "Add" button and browse for the ISO you're using. Once you've added an ISO file to this menu, you can mount it in any virtual machine you're running at any time—kind of a nice feature for files you need to get at often. Hit "Select" to close this dialog.

Back at the main Settings window, head down to the Audio and/or USB menus and enable them if you're going to be needing sound or access to thumb/external drives while you're in your OS-in-a-box. Before we get to the "Shared Folders," which is pretty darned convenient, let's boot our system. Hit OK and close out your Settings window, then hit Start back at the main box to get rolling.

Whatever ISO or disc you've supplied VirtualBo! x with w ill load just like it's on a machine for the first time, and you'll go through the same installation process as if you were loading Windows/Linux/whatever on a hard drive for the first time. You'll get occasional pop-ups from VirtualBox, "notifying" you that a mouse pointer is now in such-and-such a mode, the video display has changed, yada, yada—just hit OK and check the boxes so it doesn't bother you further. Click through all the usual name/username/password/registration jazz you're used to ... All done? Great. After however many reboots, you'll arrive at your fresh, clean desktop, which you could start using right away. You might notice, however, that the resolution is limited, the mouse might be jerky, and your sound or USB might not work out of the box. That's where the Guest Additions come in.

Fine-tuning

Head to the "Devices" menu at the top of the virtual OS window (if you've accidentally gotten into full-screen mode, hit right-Control+F to switch out) and choose "Install Guest Additions." In a virtual Windows, you'll get a prompt like you were installing software you just downloaded; if not, you can open My Computer, open up the CD drive named "VirtualBox Guest Additions," and run the auto-run software in there. In a virtual Linux, you may just get a CD or DVD mounted and displayed on the desktop. Each Linux system will be slightly different, but the Tombuntu blog's instructions for installing VirtualBox Guest Additions in Ubuntu hold mostly true: head to where the ISO is mounted as a CD/DVD drive, then run VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run (or the -amd64 version for 64-bit systems). Click through everything, restart your system, and things should be a lot more convenient: Your virtual desktop resizes itself to however big you make ! its wind ow, the mouse doesn't get "captured" and require un-locking when you click around, and everything should be a bit smoother.

You've got a well-oiled virtual machine at this point, but let's make it real easy to pass files between your host and guest systems (terminology should be making sense at this point, no?). The VirtualBox makers have described the process for Windows and Linux users in a FAQ post, and I've described the virtual-Windows-inside-Linux process in more detail in our guide to running Windows apps seamlessly inside Linux. Giannis Tsakiris has also explained setting up sharing from an XP guest, and the process is much the same for any virtual Windows (although some of the network tools have changed names). Need a bit more? Here's a quick video guide for a Windows guest system:


Now you're up and running with a machine you don't have to feel bad about messing with, or which lets your run the few apps you need in one OS while enjoying the benefits of the one you really want to work in. Wanna explore what kinds of systems you can install, and save yourself some install time while you're at it? Head over to VirtualBox Images, where you can download and run pre-compiled VDI files (i.e. VirtualBox hard drive images, like the dynamic/fixed kind you created above) for some swap-and-run fun. (Thanks to CherylIshabunny for the link!).

Are you an experienced virtual machine user with suggestions on making the process smoother for begin! ners? Ju st starting out and need something clarified? Drop your questions and suggestions in the comments, and we'll update the post as the good stuff trickles in.



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Top 10 Must-Have Firefox Extensions, 2009 Edition [Lifehacker Top 10]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/6jQ3puVk3aI/top-10-must+have-firefox-extensions-2009-edition

Last time we compiled our must-have Firefox extensions, it was two years (and one browser version) ago. Our new list keeps some, tosses others, and remains our go-to, Grandmaster list of the best Firefox add-ons.

All four of the editors you see posting here daily were asked to name the extensions they think have the most day-to-day value while also adding something new and unique to the open-source browser. It was reassuring to see that more than half of the extensions we featured last time 'round are still on the list, as they obviously kept their value. But four newcomers cropped up in the two years since then, and were innovative enough, or showed enough potential, to make it on our new compendium.

Each Top 10 entrant is linked to the page where Firefox users can install them from. See if you can't find something new for your browsing routine below.

10. AutoCopy

We like it because we're bloggers, having to quote and copy links and code every day, but anyone who does a fair amount of copying to and from the web will dig AutoCopy. The basic use: It copies anyt text you select on the web as soon as you select it—no Ctrl+C necessary. For pasting into text forms, you simply hit the middle mouse button rather than Control+V. If that's all it did, hey, we'd recommend it to anyone who writes, copies, or pastes a lot, but we also have to point out that it fix es really long, wrap-broken URLs automatically. Three cheers for fewer pinky-finger stretches!

9. Google Gears

It's a bit more technical than most browser extensions, but for all intents and purposes, Gears is an easy-to-install add-on that unlocks an entirely new world to the internet. Primarily, it takes Google apps offline—Gmail, Google Reader, Docs, and Calendar—but a handful of other apps make good use of its mini-database powers, including Remember the Milk and PassPack. Still, given the kind of impressive implementation Offline Gmail received, we've only scratched the surface of the potential in them there gears.

8. Personal Menu

Personal Menu is kind of a next-generation version of the much-loved Tiny Menu, accomplishing the same basic but totally great effect: Giving the web content you're actually looking at more space to breath. It does this by stripping the screen-wide menu bar at the top of Firefox's windows and converting it into a single drop-down menu, then lets you choose which of those menus show up in it. Keyboard shortcut ninjas can enable an option to temporarily bring back the menu bar when Alt is pressed, and the extension auto-adds a history and bookmarks button to the main toolbar to compensate for ! the two most active menus.

7. Better Gmail 2

It's not a revelation that Gmail functionality is one of our pet obsessions. Better Gmail 2 fixes or answers a lot of our Gmail complaints and wishes in one neat package. You can individually enable or kill any of Better Gmail's more than a dozen fixes and improvements, and whenever a great new Gmail user script hits the Greasemonkey realm, you can count on seeing it added to Better Gmail by our own Gina Trapani.

6. DownThemAll!

Not a tool you need every day, but really useful when you want it, DownThemAll is a selective, powerful download manager. It makes short work of snatching all the images on a page (including those links to the "bigger" or "zoom" versions), all the MP3s off a music blog, or any other kind of filter you can set up. Gina's showed us how to do some smart tune-grabbing and Flickr downloading with her guide to supercharging your Firefox downloads with DownThemAll, but her walkthrough should work for any types of files and any page. Incidentally, DownThemAll isn't just one of our favorites—it's also the most popular download manager amon g Lifehacker readers.

5. Tab Mix Plus

Remember browsing before tabs? We kind of recall a faint smell of kerosene and words like "dubloon" still in use. In all seriousness, browser tabs are the key ingredient to how many of us multi-task on the web every day, and Tab Mix Plus is a master key for everything you like or loathe about tabs. It controls which links open in a new tab, new window, or same window to an OCD-friendly level, adds key features like italicizing the text on tabs you haven't viewed yet, and super-powers Firefox's undo closed tab feature. It gets way, way more intricate than that, but even for just the bare basics, it's totally worth the install.

4. Automatic Save Folder

This one is technically an experimental, non-Mozilla-approved download, but with the positive reaction it received in our experimental extensions round-up, and experimental extensions no longer requiring a sign-up and log-in, it's more than worth stepping out on the ledge. It's the smart-downloading companion to DownThemAll, placing the files you download in a certain folder on your system based on the file extension or the site you grab it from. So if you always want the .xls spreadsheets you grab from Gmail to go into your Reports folder, but an .xls you grab from anywhere else to show up on your Desktop like everything else, you set the rules. JPG files from your friends' Flickr page, versus photo dow! nloads o ff the rest of the net? Tell them where they should go. It keeps your folders and desktop clean, and sets up rules you shouldn't have to tweak much after one go—truly an extension after our own geeky hearts.

3. Adblock Plus

You knew this would be here, didn't you? Ad-blocking can make the internet a more tolerable place to look around, and AdBlock Plus does this with a powerful ad-blocking feed subscription you can pick at start-up. Alternately, any ads you find particularly distracting ("ONE RULE TO A FLAT STOMACH: OBEY") can be right-clicked on and killed in perpetuity with "Adblock Image." Ads can be brought back if you're feeling curious, but as many a commenter (and AdBlock-loving editor) has said: After getting used to AdBlock Plus, you forget what the internet truly looks like until you turn this extension off. Lifehacker is, of course, an advertising-supported site, so we'd love it if you kept our ads displaying, opting instead to individually kill only the ones that make your eyeballs itch.

2. Greasemonkey

For Firefox changes that require deep browser integration (like adding a new button to the browser's chrome), there are extensions. For everything else, there's Greasemonkey. Greasemonkey is a difficult extension for the uninitiated to wrap their heads around, but once they do, it's a breeze. In essence, Greasemonkey is a meta-extension of sorts. It does nothing by default when first installed; the power lies in Greasemonkey user scripts developed by JavaScript-wielding geeks fed up with under-performing sites or interested in bringing more power to the sites the! y alread y love. If you don't like seeing labels on your Gmail messages, but wouldn't mind seeing them when your pointer hovers over them, there's a fix. Want YouTube to acknowledge your bandwidth and load high-quality clips by default? Same deal. Those are just a few recent examples, but the list goes on, and the fixes keep getting better. You can find Greasemonkey scripts all over the web, but if you're just getting started, you may also want to check out Userscripts.org—sort of like Mozilla's add-ons site but for Greasemonkey scripts.

1. Foxmarks/Xmarks

Foxmarks is gradually rebranding as Xmarks, but what we really like about Fox/Xmarks remains the same as the last time it claimed the Must-Have crown: It's nearly seamless at keeping your bookmarks and passwords synchronized between browsers on any platform, and stores them on a site you can visit from any browser where you can't install an extension. If you're not down with the cloud, you can even tell this extension to store your stuff on your own server. Foxmarks is also available on IE and Safari, and you can separate your work bookmarking from ooh-cool life stuff with selective bookmark profiles. It's the tool that lets you keep fleeting thoughts, IM l! inks, an d other ephemeral web stuff all together, so of course we dig on it. The transition to Xmarks adds a few semi-nifty, social-y features to your searching and bookmarking, but if you're not keen on those changes, you can easily disable them in the Xmarks preferences.


Our top 10 is by no means definitive for everyone on the web, so tell us which extensions that weren't included cry out for a recount, or at least a re-think, and which included extension aren't your cup of tea. Drop your favorites and argue your case in the comments.

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iCloud Takes Your Computing to the Web [Web As Desktop]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/q8QxcEAlnqY/icloud-takes-your-computing-to-the-web

iCloud is a new but intriguing addition to the cloud-based desktop roster, with tools that allow you to store not just your files online, but the applications you access them with.

We've talked about cloud operating systems before like EyeOS and Glide. iCloud shares "webtop" roots with them, bringing the experience of desktop computing to your web browser. Once you sign up for a free iCloud account, you're ready to start exploring the dozens of applications and widgets. You can edit documents in a Word-compatible editor, maintain a calendar, write emails, and tackle other computing basics. There's a photo organizer and media player, and the Vista-like sidebar can be customized with a variety of widgets to suit your workspace—your first order of business will probably be replacing the "Last Users Online" widget with something more useful.

iCloud is currently in beta. While it lacks some of the meatier features found in previously reviewed webtops, it does provide a completely mobile and relatively distraction-free work space. According to the iCloud team, it's best suited for use in Internet Explorer. You can—and I did—use it in Firefox, but support for Firefox is considered experimental. iCloud is a free service and (technically) requires Internet Explorer with Java Script installed.



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GPS-Enabled Inhalers Help Doctors Pinpoint Asthma Triggers and Causes [Medicine]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/d5_cNGk-8Ps/gps+enabled-inhalers-help-doctors-pinpoint-asthma-triggers-and-causes

In order to track possible danger zones that trigger asthma attacks, the Deapartment of Health Sciences of the University of Wiconsin-Madison is working on a GPS-enabled inhaler that could potentially help asthmatics everywhere.

With this technology, every time asthmatics use their rescue inhalers, the inhalers—with built-in GPS—will be able to pinpoint exactly where they are. This lets doctors and researchers know where to study, allowing them to detect what is triggering the attacks and possibly even uncovering why people suffer from the lung disease in the first place. So basically, frequent asthma attacks at a local park could mean an excess of allergens and pet dander. But what will asthma attacks in your home tell the doctor? Having too much sex? Watching scary movies? Getting a Wii? For some of you, I'm sure it's all of the above at the same time. Am I right, am I right? [CNet]



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iTunes Gift Code Hackers Turn Attention to iPhone App Developers [Software]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/2oKKZz52Jwk/itunes-gift-code-hackers-turn-attention-to-iphone-app-developers

The all-too-easy-to-crack iTunes gift code has led to a flooded market, making the codes essentially unprofitable. So they've now turned their attention to the App Store to find new, underhanded ways to screw Apple.

Because iTunes' gift codes are so easy to crack, hackers can often only get 1% of the supposed value of their codes (so a $200 gift code could only sell for $2). In an effort to increase that percentage, some pirates have started contacting iPhone app developers, offering to "purchase" their app as many times as desired in exchange for a 50-50 cut of Apple's per-purchase pay.

This kind of tactic undermines what's so cool about the App Store— a nobody can make something hundreds of thousands of people will love, and make money doing it, just on the merits of the creation. That's rare in the software industry, where software is pirated almost on principle, and it'd be a shame to see the App Store corrupted. [AppleInsider and Ars Technica]



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Near Bezel-less KO M-400 PMP Has Nothing to Hide, Lacks Buttons [PMPs]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/NE4aviKIus0/near-bezel+less-ko-m+400-pmp-has-nothing-to-hide-lacks-buttons

Most touchscreen devices (yes, even the iPhone, Laurendealbreaker!) have a noticeable bezel around their perimeter that bothers many a perfectionist something fierce. But the KO M400, admittedly more concept than anything, offers something different.

What the KO M400 offers is the full monty of touchscreens. Nearly 100% edge-to-edge 5-inch touchscreen goodness, all in HD. The minimalist controls would have even the new sans-buttons iPod shuffle all hot and bothered. Maybe.

I provide the caveat because what this player doesn't offer are specifics. Or even realistic concept images. Look at the thing. Those are either the world's biggest pair of jeans or this thing is the size of a Tic Tac.

Even that screen size is an assumption, provided by the translation wizards at PMP Today. So stop digging through that Easter basket, because this thing isn't in there. Those Peeps, however, those are the real deal. BOOM. [imp3 via PMP Today - Thanks, Brian]



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Exhaustive netbook battery comparison finds a clear winner, no victims

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/10/exhaustive-netbook-battery-comparison-finds-a-clear-winner-no-v/


It's hardly the first netbook battery comparison to appear in the Thunderdome that is the internet, but this latest thirteen-strong round-up from Australia's NetbookReview is one of the more comprehensive to emerge as of late, with it only slightly compromised by a few netbooks that aren't available in the site's home country. Not surprisingly, the netbooks equipped with six-cell batteries came out well ahead of their less well off counterparts, with the MSI Wind U115 Hybrid leading the way with an impressive time of 6:56. That was obviously aided in no small part by the netbook's dual SSD / hard drive setup, and by a less commonly used 5100mAh six-cell battery, as opposed to the 6600mAh version used in the second and third place Eee PCs (which each clocked in around the four-hour mark). Bringing up the rear were the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 and Dell Mini 12, neither of which were able to eek out even two hours of use. As you might expect, however, all of the tests involved a worst-case scenario, so you can expect to get a good deal more juice from all of 'em if you're not spending every waking hour watching WMV files.

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Exhaustive netbook battery comparison finds a clear winner, no victims originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Samsung NX outfitted with massive lens, teased on rotating platform

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/10/video-samsung-nx-outfitted-with-massive-lens-teased-on-rotatin/


Eager to get a few more dirty details on the heretofore elusive Samsung NX Series camera? Sorry, bub. Now that we've destroyed your wildest dreams, ruined your Friday and infuriated you beyond description, we will point out that Sammy has a new teaser video of the camera for all to view, and it's looking mighty special. The curvaceous cam is seen behind glass on an endlessly rotating platform, complete with a fairly large lens, a fairly large rear LCD monitor and... not much else. There's no audio to speak of (or hear, for that matter), but it's still a mesmerizing watch. Peek after the break if you're sitting squarely in the "yes Jim, tell me more!" camp.

[Via 1001 Noisy Cameras]

Continue reading Video: Samsung NX outfitted with massive lens, teased on rotating platform

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Video: Samsung NX outfitted with massive lens, teased on rotating platform originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Arrington drops science on CrunchPad, still won't sell us one

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/10/michael-arrington-drops-science-on-crunchpad-still-wont-sell-u/


In case you missed it (we all have our off days, it's fine) we got our hands on a mess of leaked CrunchPad photos yesterday, and we have to say -- the device looks pretty damn good. Now that the cat's out of the bag, a certain Michael Arrington has shed a little light into what's going on over there at CrunchGear HQ. He says that the "significant step forward" for the device has been in regards to the software stack -- it's now entirely customized, including the (Linux) OS and browser. It also sports an Intel Atom chip; previously, the device has been running Ubuntu on a VIA chipset. "The total software footprint is around 100 MB," he writes, "which is a solid achievement." And last but not least, the industrial design and hardware for this bad boy is being done by an outfit in Singapore called Fusion Garage. It looks like the project is in good hands. But anything beyond that -- including, sadly, a timeframe -- is still anyone's guess.

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Michael Arrington drops science on CrunchPad, still won't sell us one originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte T1028 netbook / tablet gets the hands-on treatment

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/11/gigabyte-t1028-netbook-tablet-gets-the-hands-on-treatment/


We've already seen Gigabyte's T1028 netbook / tablet up close, and even gotten a glimpse of the user manual, but the folks at UMPC Portal have now finally come though with a proper hands-on of the device, which looks to confirm that it does indeed deliver the goods, if not quite justify its $600+ price tag. What's more, as welcome as that swiveling touchscreen is, it looks like it's the little touches that really push this one over the edge, including an all too often omitted ExpressCard slot, built-in 3G, 802.11n WiFi, some actually accessible upgrade options, and an apparently faster than usual 2.5-inch hard drive. Hit up the link below for the complete rundown (including some benchmarks) and, of course, plenty of pics.

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Gigabyte T1028 netbook / tablet gets the hands-on treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS equips P30 and P80 laptops with Intel's Anti-Theft Technology

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/11/asus-equips-p30-and-p80-laptops-with-intels-anti-theft-technolo/

Remember Intel's Anti-Theft Technology that debuted around this time last year? You know, that wicked cool invention that you've heard absolutely nothing about ever since? Evidently it's still alive and kickin', as ASUS has just announced that two of its lappies will come loaded with it. The P30 and P80 will both arrive with the so-called theft deterrent system, enabling owners to send a "poison pill" (it's words, not ours) remotely, rendering their computer inoperable by "comprehensively shutting it down." If you manage to reacquire it in one piece, a passphrase can be inputted in order to reactivate things. Still, we have to wonder how this will really detract thieves from snapping up unattended machines -- we mean, do they really stop to check out the anti-theft software before wheeling away with your rig? We're guessing not.

[Via HotHardware]

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ASUS equips P30 and P80 laptops with Intel's Anti-Theft Technology originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers develop laser-guided microhoverbot, Engadget coins new word

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/11/researchers-develop-laser-guided-microhoverbot-engadget-coins-n/


We could have sworn that one of our commenters had already invented this, but maybe not. Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario -- led by Professor Mir Behrad Khamesee -- has developed a microbot weighing in at about three-hundredths of an ounce that hovers and moves about on a three dimensional parabolic magnetic field. Altering the flow of the electromagnetic current distorts the field and propels the robot. Additionally, the device has pincers that open when heated by a laser, closing once they're allowed to cool. The device is monitored by laser sensors and by camera, and since the it floats free of any sort of wiring (and power is supplied from outside the robot) it is ideal for working in clean rooms or hazardous environments. Not too shabby, eh? At the very least, we got to use the word "microhoverbot."

[Via CNet]

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Researchers develop laser-guided microhoverbot, Engadget coins new word originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CUBE B52HD PMP handles codecs galore, HD out for silly cheap

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/12/cube-b52hd-pmp-handles-codecs-galore-hd-out-for-silly-cheap/


It's not like we're ever going to bump into this in our local electronics store, but boy is this CUBE B52HD portable media player tempting. The thing has a 5-inch 480 x 272 LCD, all the codecs we could ask for (including fan faves like FLAC, OGG, along with plenty of video options), 1280 x 720 video out, 8GB of built-in storage and an expansion slot of some sort. We're not sure about input methods, but hopefully the interface involves Brendan Fraser to some extent. The best news? All this can be theoretically yours for a mere 499 yuan, about $73 US.

[Via PMP Today]

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CUBE B52HD PMP handles codecs galore, HD out for silly cheap originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firmware update brings file conversion, iPhone access to HP's MediaSmart ex485 / ex487

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/13/firmware-update-brings-file-conversion-iphone-access-to-hps-me/


HP's MediaSmart Server ex487 (1.5TB) and ex485 (750GB) both received copious amounts of praise when launched late last year, but considering just how many issues the original two had (the ex470 and ex475), it wouldn't take much to best 'em. Today, HP is issuing its second firmware update of the year for the series, but the first ever for the newest duo -- and make no mistake, it's a big one. The v2.5 update adds in loads of new features, far too many to cover in this space, in fact. If you're interested in hearing more, follow us past the break for all the details.

Continue reading Firmware update brings file conversion, iPhone access to HP's MediaSmart ex485 / ex487

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Firmware update brings file conversion, iPhone access to HP's MediaSmart ex485 / ex487 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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