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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Apple's Core i5 / i7 27-inch iMacs now shipping to expectant owners

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/apples-core-i5-i7-27-inch-imacs-now-shipping-to-expectant-own/

Lovers of Snow Leopard, oversized IPS display panels, and Intel's very latest processors, your time for rejoicing has come. Apple has begun sending off shipping confirmations to customers who ordered up their slab of quad-core all-in-one nirvana in October, and the biggest and baddest iMacs should be arriving at their new homes imminently. To remind you, the reason for waiting on these units was the 2.66GHz Core i5 750 inside, which comes along with 4GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 4850, and a cool terabyte of storage. We're sure some of the eager new owners couldn't resist upgrading that spec to a 2.8GHz Core i7 860, which we can kind of see the sense in -- after all, an iMac is for life, not just for Christmas. That's how that saying goes, right?

Filed under: Desktops

Apple's Core i5 / i7 27-inch iMacs now shipping to expectant owners originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricoh GXR now official, generates sample images and early impressions

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/ricoh-gxr-now-official-generates-sample-images-and-early-impres/

That Ricoh GXR camera system we saw yesterday has today become official, and dpreview have gotten on the case to provide an early preview and a set of sample images taken with the shooter. The novelty to this new setup is in the so-called lens units, which contain both a lens and an appropriately matched sensor inside a sealed casing. This precludes dust from getting in where it doesn't belong and provides a tailored pairing of optics and electronics. The body, in spite of not doing much -- zoom motors plus aperture and shutter mechanisms are all handled within the lens unit -- is built out of a magnesium alloy, and its major attraction will be a good control scheme allied to excellent ergonomics, according to dpreview. What you're getting then, is a competitor to Micro Four Thirds that's smaller in size, but larger in price. Sounds about right.

Read - Press release
Read - dpreview preview
Read - Sample image galleries
Read - Comparison shots vs. the Panasonic GF1

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Ricoh GXR now official, generates sample images and early impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell's Inspiron Zino HD now official in Ireland and UK

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/dells-inspiron-zino-hd-now-official-in-ireland/

The Irish may be a few hours ahead of us Yanks, but that's not stopping us from snooping on their web pages. Dell's long-awaited Inspiron Zino HD has finally popped official over on the outfit's IE portal, and considering that it even made a brief appearance on the US site over the weekend, we're guessing it's only a matter of hours, minutes and / or nanoseconds before the minuscule desktop shows up everywhere. A total of ten interchangeable colors and designs are being offered on the machine (which gets going at €329), not to mention an integrated HDMI socket and an optional Blu-ray drive. Unlike most of the mini PCs out there today, this one actually has a specs list worth drooling over, and if we can figure out how to get a TV tuner in here, we'd say we just might be looking at our next bedroom HTPC. C'mon US admins -- it's not that early in Round Rock.

[Thanks, Andy]

Update: It's now live in the UK! Another market down, a few hundred to go...

Gallery: Dell's Inspiron Zino HD now official in Ireland

Filed under: Desktops

Dell's Inspiron Zino HD now official in Ireland and UK originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/intel-reader-reads-books-to-the-lazy-and-infirm-video/

While we're busying ourselves with arguing about how to replace the perfectly usable book gadget, Intel is right to point out that plenty of people, for whatever reason, can't read at all. Presenting its Reader as a necessity rather than luxury, Intel has shown off its vision for how visually impaired and dyslexic people can obtain access to the written word. Combining a text-scanning camera with a text-to-speech engine (powered by an Atom inside) is certainly no bad idea, but as the video beyond the break will show you, Intel's execution isn't exactly stellar. The arrhythmic, robotic reading from Alice In Wonderland left us shaken, but what floored us was the $1,499 asking price. Yes, it's a customized niche device, but we reckon we could build something similar for a third of the price. Full PR and video after the break.

Continue reading Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video)

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Handhelds

Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Esquire's Augmented Reality issue goes on sale, and we have video to prove it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/esquires-augmented-reality-issue-goes-on-sale-and-we-have-vide/

The Augmented Reality issue of Esquire has hit the newsstands, and our fears have come true: when this magazine comes in contact with your webcam, Robert Downey Jr. is unleashed! Aside from dangerous levels of the Academy Award-winning actor, however, the video (after the break) really highlights how silly the whole affair is: While AR has been implemented to great effect for a number of different applications, delivering video content that could just as easily been delivered without waving a magazine in front of your computer definitely crosses the line into gimmick territory. Still, the magazine's design team did pull all the stops -- so if you're curious to see what you'd get for your hard-earned dollar, check out that video walkthrough after the break.

Continue reading Esquire's Augmented Reality issue goes on sale, and we have video to prove it

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Esquire's Augmented Reality issue goes on sale, and we have video to prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA tablet mystery solved: an ODM Tegra prototype

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/nvidia-tablet-mystery-solved-an-odm-tegra-prototype/

NVIDIA just hit us with more info on that mysterious tablet Jen-Hsun Huang was pictured with yesterday, and the truth is just as we'd assumed: it's a Tegra prototype from an ODM called ICD that's being "actively" shopped to carriers around the world. Sorry, folks, no Apple involvement here -- although we're sure Jen-Hsun would enthusiastically embrace that possibility.

As far as the ICD tablet goes, we're waiting for official confirmation on specs, but we got a credible tip this morning suggesting that it's currently running Windows CE with a resistive touchscreen, and that both Android and capacitive upgrades are in the cards, as well as multiple screen sizes. We're also told that the goal is a March 2010 launch and that T-Mobile might be involved, but we wouldn't take any of that to the bank until we hear for real -- stay tuned.

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs

NVIDIA tablet mystery solved: an ODM Tegra prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matrox pushes eight displays with a single-slot PCIe x16 GPU

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/matrox-pushes-eight-displays-with-a-single-slot-pcie-x16-gpu/

Matrox has been distancing itself from the consumer market for awhile now, but even we couldn't resist this one. Hailed as the planet's first single-slot octal graphics card, the M9188 supports up to eight DisplayPort or single-link DVI outputs, and if you're up for getting really crazy, you can hook up a pair to drive 16 displays from a single workstation. The card itself packs 2GB of memory and supports resolutions as high as 2,560 x 1,600 (per output), which should be just enough to create the Google Earth visualization system you've always dreamed of. In related news, the outfit also introduced the far weaker 1GB M9128, which can drive a grand total of two displays for $259. Oh, and as for pricing on the octal guy? Try $1,995 when it ships later this quarter.

Filed under: Peripherals

Matrox pushes eight displays with a single-slot PCIe x16 GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matrox pushes eight displays with a single-slot PCIe x16 GPU

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/matrox-pushes-eight-displays-with-a-single-slot-pcie-x16-gpu/

Matrox has been distancing itself from the consumer market for awhile now, but even we couldn't resist this one. Hailed as the planet's first single-slot octal graphics card, the M9188 supports up to eight DisplayPort or single-link DVI outputs, and if you're up for getting really crazy, you can hook up a pair to drive 16 displays from a single workstation. The card itself packs 2GB of memory and supports resolutions as high as 2,560 x 1,600 (per output), which should be just enough to create the Google Earth visualization system you've always dreamed of. In related news, the outfit also introduced the far weaker 1GB M9128, which can drive a grand total of two displays for $259. Oh, and as for pricing on the octal guy? Try $1,995 when it ships later this quarter.

Filed under: Peripherals

Matrox pushes eight displays with a single-slot PCIe x16 GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viewsonic offically launches VPD400 MovieBook media player

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/

Viewsonic was showing this one off way back in July alongside a slew of other gear, but it's just now gotten fully official with its VPD400 MovieBook media player, which is apparently available right away for $129.99. That will get you a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display, 8GB of internal memory, a micro SD card slot for more, an AV out port for some bigger screen viewing (not HDMI, it seems), and a promised 12 hours of battery life for audio and six for video -- not to mention your choice of black, pink or white color options. Not too shabby, just don't go expecting anything fancy like WiFI or a touchscreen.

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Viewsonic offically launches VPD400 MovieBook media player originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saygus VPhone to bring video calls and a bit of chub to Android and Verizon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/saygus-vphone-to-bring-video-calls-and-a-bit-of-chub-to-android/

If you know that your personal happiness lies somewhere in the Verizon / Android abyss but neither the Droid nor the Droid Eris are hitting the spot, you might consider trying something completely out of left field. How "left field" are we talking here? Well, for starters, odds are good that you've never heard of a company called Saygus, and its shiny new QWERTY slider, the VPhone, won't be offered directly from Verizon -- it's a product of the carrier's Open Development initiative. Sure enough, that handset we spied a few days back is real, and the specs are all panning out: 624MHz PXA310 XScale core, 512MB of Flash on board coupled with 256MB of RAM, 3.5-inch capacitive WVGA touchscreen, WiFi, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera, front-facing VGA camera and -- of course -- EV-DO Rev. A support. The current incarnation is running Android 1.6, but it should be running 2.0 by the time of its launch next year, along with getting some Google-certification to let it run the Google apps. Saygus' real thrust here is apparently two-way video calling (good thing they picked Verizon, huh?), though they aren't showing it off just yet. Otherwise it's pretty much stock Android, and when asked if they swiped something from HTC Sense UI, Saygus said those buttons and the extra home screens are actually a standard part of Android's open source repository. The hardware itself is rather chubby, but it leaves room for an oversized QWERTY keyboard that could very well solve your Droid woes. No word on price or a firm release date.

Gallery: Saygus VPhone hands-on

Saygus VPhone to bring video calls and a bit of chub to Android and Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, November 08, 2009

Dell Mini 9 Accelerometer Hack Creates One Affordable Little Windows Tablet [Hacks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/T_UnYhn_9dA/dell-mini-9-accelerometer-hack-creates-one-affordable-little-windows-tablet

The hacktastic Dell Mini 9 goes well with all sorts of aftermarket add-ons and OS's, including this latest addition:

An accelerometer tied to a touchscreen. Why not, right? Seems like a logical progression after we saw this tiny tot of a netbook hacked to serve as a stylus-driven tablet.

It's no Courier, certainly, but as far as cheap, functional touchscreen tablets go, it's not half bad. [Gadget Mix]

Rumor: Mirrorless Ricoh Camera, Interchangeable Lenses Coming November 10 [Cameras]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/xiMaMXf-URw/rumor-mirrorless-ricoh-camera-interchangeable-lenses-coming-november-10

From the aptly named Photo Rumors blog comes word today that Ricoh is all but ready to reveal a premium, mirror-less camera on or about November 10.

Multiple sources hint that the camera will be a number of things, including "premium," "compact" and that it will feature at least two interchangeable lenses at launch, possibly in December.

More details, discovered and translated by Photo Rumors, include:

* APS-C sensor
* Mirror Loose house with live-view
* Not so much larger than the GR-D cameras
* The same operation / control that the GR-D
* Electronic viewfinder accessory shoe for optional

More to come, as Phone Rumors appears to be updating their posts with some regularity today. [Photo Rumors]

Palm Pre price keeps sinking on Bell, down to $100

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/07/palm-pre-price-keeps-sinking-on-bell-down-to-100/

Just weeks after Palm's Pre sunk to CAD $149.95 on Bell, the outfit's first-ever webOS phone has now stooped to just CAD $99.95. That still requires a 3-year contract, of course, but man -- a single bill for a smartphone like the Pre? Anyone tossing out guesses on how long it takes Sprint to follow suit (and embarrass the Pixi)?

[Thanks, David]

Filed under: Cellphones

Palm Pre price keeps sinking on Bell, down to $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Creative's ZEN X-Fi2 touchscreen PMP now on sale

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/08/creatives-zen-x-fi2-touchscreen-pmp-now-on-sale/

Candidly speaking, we can't honestly envision too many of you fine folks running out and purchasing one of Creative's new ZEN X-Fi2 portable media players given the availability of such robust alternatives. That said, we'd be remiss of our duties if we didn't point out that the PMP which shocked us at IFA is now on sale directly from Creative. $129.99 buys you an 8GB model, while $179.99 nets you 16GB and $229.99 provides 32GB. We know -- that 3-inch LCD and integrated FM tuner look good from afar, but remember kids, it's all about the UI.

[Thanks, Tyler]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Creative's ZEN X-Fi2 touchscreen PMP now on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, November 07, 2009

Building a NAS? Skip the Performance Drives [Nas]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/kmd9yrY5Wk8/building-a-nas-skip-the-performance-drives

A while ago I was considering putting low-powered 5400 RPM drives into a NAS. I was worried about performance, but Tom's Hardware shows us that drive speed isn't the bottleneck, and how slower drives can even beat faster ones.

The main bottleneck in any NAS is the RAID engine. Since many NAS units don't include a dedicated controller, oftentimes the speed of the drive just doesn't matter. If you're using a blazing-fast hardware RAID card in your own custom built setup, then drive speed might make a difference. But for most consumer units, the controller is the bottleneck.

With that in mind, you can go with slower 5400 RPM drives that reduce power consumption, generate less heat, and will likely cost less up front too. Even if you have a dedicated RAID card that could let a 7200 RPM drive do it's thing at full speed, I'd consider the benefits of low-power drives to outweigh the marginal speed increase you might see.

This chart shows the difference between Samsung 7200 and 5400 RPM drives in various RAID configurations:

Not much, right? So think twice before you drop more than necessary on 7200 RPM drives for your backup unit. Check out the link for the full test rundown. [Tom's Hardware]

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