Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Google Chrome gets some early device orientation 'plumbing'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/google-chrome-gets-some-early-device-orientation-plumbing/

We remember well the first time we managed to put an accelerometer in our possession to good use: back when the MacBook Pros started shipping with them as sudden motion sensors to protect the hard drive, someone hooked up some light saber noises to the tilt motion. A few months later we were pretending to make light saber noises with the Wii, and then the iPhone came along and democratized the accelerometer-based light saber noise for all of humanity. Next up? The browser. Firefox 3.6 already supports this capability, and now Chromium is getting some early work in that direction as well -- and with the browser-as-OS that Google's Chrome OS represents, Chromium's support of this feature is welcome news indeed. We hear that light saber noise-producing low fat snacks are next on the docket!

Google Chrome gets some early device orientation 'plumbing' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White HTC EVO 4G lands early in Best Buy stores (update: unboxing!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/white-htc-evo-4g-lands-early-in-best-buy-stores/

Good news, EVO 4G lovers! The striking white version of Sprint's most gargantuan (by diagonal screen size, anyway) smartphone has started to splash down into Best Buy stores across the nation a full five days early. If you'll recall, the white EVO 4G wasn't supposed to land in the hands of those who pre-ordered until July 11th, but we've received two independent confirmations that they are indeed arriving early in select locales. Stay close to your current phone -- you may be getting a pick-up call in the not-too-distant future.

Update: A tipster has just sent in a gallery's worth of unboxing shots -- looks like these are indeed being handed out early! Huzzah!

[Thanks, Anonymous and Justin]

Gallery: White HTC EVO 4G in stock at Best Buy

Gallery: White HTC EVO 4G unboxing

White HTC EVO 4G lands early in Best Buy stores (update: unboxing!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:45:00 EDT.! Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid X already knocking on buyers' doors?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/droid-x-already-knocking-on-buyers-doors/

This seems to happen with virtually every hotly-anticipated device Verizon ever offers, so we can't say we're too surprised to hear rumors that Motorola's Droid X has already started showing up in customers' hands. Usually, this happens through a combination of persistence, repeated calls to customers service, and finding just the right rep who doesn't realize that he or she shouldn't be selling a particular device yet -- but in the case of the Droid X, Verizon's been teasing the launch with its @DroidLanding Twitter account, saying "you might get yours before" the official July 15 release. In other words, we think we're in the process of getting punked by some viral marketing... but hey, if you're getting punked by something, it might as well be one of the baddest-ass Android phones around.

Droid X already knocking on buyers' doors? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Charm spotted in the wild, said to be hitting T-Mobile later this month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/motorola-charm-spotted-in-the-wild-said-to-be-hitting-t-mobile/

We'd already had a pretty good indication that the Motorola Charm was headed to T-Mobile, but it looks like most doubt has now been put to rest -- TmoNews has what appears to be the first shot of the phone in the wild, and evidence that materials (with the name "Project Basil') are already arriving at T-Mobile stores. Unfortunately, there's not much new information otherwise, but the site's tipster has apparently confirmed that the phone does indeed have a Backflip-like touchpad on the rear and that the screen is around 3-inches. Still no word on an exact release date, but TmoNews says it should be rolling out by the end of the month.

Motorola Charm spotted in the wild, said to be hitting T-Mobile later this month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Gold with Windows Phone 7 in November, and more from a rumored UK roadmap leak

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/htc-gold-with-windows-phone-7-in-november-and-more-from-rumor/

O, to see what Omio sees. The outlet has obtained what it claims to be "a huge UK mobile phone release schedule for the rest of the year... [from] all the manufacturers" (emphasis its own). So, from where would such an all-encompassing roadmap hail? We don't know, nor can we corroborate any of this, but the details are numerous so let's go through it -- albeit with cautious optimism and a few grains of salt. The biggest phone we can see of this baker's dozen of a lineup is the HTC Gold (sound familiar?), due in November and loaded with Microsoft's mobile OS newcomer Windows Phone 7. Unfortunately, that's all the information provided, but it's certainly enough to entice us. Also in November, we've got Samsung i8700 and Nokia E7 -- the latter being possibly a N8-esque QWERTY slider with AMOLED display and Symbian^3, and the former being a mystery (although Omio takes a gander that its aquatic Greek mythology might suggest a Bada-powered existence).

Going up the list Memento style, October purportedly brings across the pond-ers HTC Vision, the virtually unknown HTC Ace, Nokia N8, and Sony Ericsson's Xperia X8 and Yendo. September's a bit of a yawner -- SE Hazel and a Nokia X2 candybar -- as is August with the X6 8GB and BlackBerry Curve 9300. And July? Nokia E5-00, Sony Ericsson W20, and Samsung i5500. As is usually the case, the more you can wait, the better your options. Now, let's see if this supposed roadmap stays on course.

HTC Gold with Windows Phone 7 in November, and more from a rumored UK roadmap leak originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WMPoweruser, SlashGear | source

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Majority Report http://ping.fm/uhoSb

Monday, July 05, 2010

Pressure-sensitive drawing headed to iPad in free software library (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/05/pressure-sensitive-drawing-coming-to-ipad-in-free-software-libra/

"The iPad's IPS panel is pressure-sensitive, you say?" No, that's not quite right, but with some clever software and a special capacitive stylus, the folks at Ten One Design built a convincing proof of concept anyhow. While we're not quite sure how it works, the current theory states that the soft tip of the stylus expands like a brush when you press it down, generating a "larger press" that can be detected by the hooks in Ten One's code -- which they soon plan to share as a free software library (assuming Apple allows) with developers around the world. See it in action in a video after the break, and if you're feeling your inner Rorschach today, let us know what you see in the above drawing.

Continue reading Pressure-sensitive drawing headed to iPad in free software library (video)

Pressure-sensitive drawing headed to iPad in free software library (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

SlashGear | source

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Forest In a Box [Illusions]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5579129/1-box-%252B-1-tree-%252B-lots-of-mirrors--infinite-urban-forest

In a public plaza in Oosterdokskade, Amsterdam, DUS Architects installed the Unlimited Urban Woods. On the outside: a non-descript white box with a few square meter footprint. On the inside: a forest as far as the eye can see.

Using a series of strategically angled mirrors, DUS made the illusory forest from just a single full-size tree. Hedwig Heinsman, one of the architects behind the project, said, "It's a space with its own horizon, where you can flee the city in the middle of town." Of course, all those mirrors mean that you'll always be sharing your forest-in-a-box with a whole crowd of people who look uncannily like yourself.

So no peaceful solitude in these woods, but at least you know you'll never get lost. [WebEcoist and Frame Mag]

Note: Not to be mistaken with the other forest in a box.

LG confirms Android tablet for Q4 2010 launch, Froyo for Optimus Z

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/05/lg-confirms-android-tablet-for-q4-2010-launch-teases-android-2/

Now this is jolly good news. LG, which already has a Windows 7 tablet in the works, is gearing up to service those with a hankering for some Android in their slate computers as well. Clearly unwilling to fall behind its fierce rival Samsung, LG has just announced that it'll bringing out its own Google-centric tablet before the end of 2010. Indications are that it'll be different (presumably better) than current offerings on the market, but alas there's nary a peep about what that might mean on the spec sheet. In other machine-translated news, the Korean company is also planning a new version of its SU950 handset, aka the Optimus Z, which will come preloaded with Android 2.2. Current owners of the phone need not despair either, as Froyo upgrades are planned for them by the fourth quarter as well. Hmm, all this Q4 and 2.2 action flying about, would be nice to think this tablet would benefit from the same treatment.

LG confirms Android tablet for Q4 2010 launch, Froyo for Optimus Z originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 01:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Wall Street Journal ! |& nbsp; source

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iOS has a bigger dev army than Android, but will cross-platform apps rule the day?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/05/ios-has-a-bigger-dev-army-than-android-but-will-cross-platform/

We oftentimes hear raw numbers of apps bandied about in mobile OS comparisons, but we rarely get any idea of just how many developers are behind the scenes working for each platform. This is the void of knowledge filled by AppStore HQ today, who have gone to their dev directory -- claimed to be a complete listing of all 55,000+ coders whose work is currently available for consumption in the Apple App Store or Android Market -- and stacked them into neat piles of Apple, Google and Gapple programmers. It's immediately apparent that single-platform development is the norm (with Apple holding the predictable edge), but AppStore HQ also provides a list of some of the most well known (and well funded) apps doing the cross-platform dance, and suggests that a movement is afoot toward making software available for both sets of users. Then again, the BNET article below points out the difficulties faced by smaller outfits, who might struggle to find the resources required to port their content over and maintain the skills required to be multi-platform, resulting in them sticking to one environment, irrespective of what allures others might throw their way. Give them both a read, we say.

iOS has a bigger dev army than Android, but will cross-platform apps rule the day? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 04:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

VentureBeat | source

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Sunday, July 04, 2010

At the US Money Factory, High-Tech Benjamins Roll Off the Presses

Source: http://www.popsci.com/

Learn about the new C-note with CNET

In the future, a few things will still roll off a printing press -- dollar dollar bills, y'all!

CNET has a nice behind-the-scenes tour of the process of making the newly redesigned $100 bill, which the government unveiled in April. It won't be in circulation until February 10, 2011, but CNET's story provides a nice sneak peek.

In the new note, Benjamin Franklin is joined by a shiny Liberty Bell inside an inkwell, which seems to disappear as you tilt the note. It also has a

Install a Wide Angle Lens Into Your Webcam [DIY]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5579309/install-a-wide-angle-lens-into-your-webcam

Install a Wide Angle Lens Into Your Webcam If you've got an external webcam but hate not being able to move around in the narrow frame, DIY web site Instructables shows us how to replace the lens with a cheap wide angle one for more flexible video chatting.

While certain webcam/lens combinations may work better, this particular guide used a $12 webcam and a $6 wide-angle lens that didn't fit together just right. Thus, replacing the lens meant moving the socket an extra millimeter away from the circuit board using some previously mentioned Sugru and taking the IR filter off the first lens and attaching it to the wide-angle one.

Apart from the Sugru, though, all you'll need for this mod is a screwdriver to take apart the camera and access the more delicate insides. You'll likely have to do a bit of improvisation for the method to work with your particular webcam (you may not even need to move the socket), but all in all it's a neat idea that can be done for very cheap. Hit the link for more detailed instructions, and let us know your favorite webcam mods in the comments.

Wide-Angle Web Cam [Instructables]

Build an Arduino-Powered, Tweeting, Self-Watering Garden System [DIY]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5579086/build-an-arduino+powered-tweeting-self+watering-garden-system

Build an Arduino-Powered, Tweeting, Self-Watering Garden System We've shown you a few automated irrigation systems, both large and small, but if you're an Arduino fan, you'll love DIYer Jouni's set-up, made out of a bucket, a submersible pump, and plastic hose.

It may not use water recycled from your air conditioner, but this compact self-watering solution is perfect for any size garden. It's extremely simple, too (apart from the Arduino, perhaps), and doesn't require a lot of complicated building plans as far as the hose and pump go. And, not only will the Arduino water the soil when it starts to get too dry, but it will even tweet about it so you can make sure everything's on schedule (and so you know when you need to refill the bucket). If you don't have the room for a giant vegetable garden or a full-fledged drip irrigation system, it's a great set-up for your apartment or basement tomato patch. Hit the link for more information, and let us know your favorite self-watering garden tips in the comments.

Watering System [via Hack a Day]

Opera 10.6 hits Windows, Mac and Linux with faster Javascript, WebM video support

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/04/opera-10-6-hits-windows-mac-and-linux-with-faster-javascript-w/

Four short months after Opera 10.5, the Scandanavian potato boilers are back for more -- the latest version of their lightweight web browser features not only claims to be the fastest, but the first final browser with WebM video support. While we actually noticed a variety of web videos felt choppy with the Windows version, there's no denying it's a speedy little hummingbird; Engadget felt snappier on Opera than Chrome or Firefox by far. Don't take our word for it, though -- try it out for yourself at the source link.

Opera 10.6 hits Windows, Mac and Linux with faster Javascript, WebM video support originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Jul 2010 12:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, July 03, 2010

The Making of Tony Stark's Incredible Interfaces [Ui]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5578966/the-making-of-iron-man-2s-incredible-interfaces

More than his vast fortune or rocket-soled boots or even Pepper Potts, the thing I envy most about Tony Stark are his computers. Here's a video of how motion design company Prologue perfected Tony's fantastic holographic interfaces.

Motionographer has a veritable treasure trove of photos and video from Prologue, showing how every element of Stark's UI in Iron Man 2 was tirelessly tweaked.

And it shows. Alongside those of Minority Report and maybe Quantum of Solace, the interfaces in Iron Man 2 are among the most thrilling and memorable I've seen in any movie. These types of interactions are still the stuff of the future—though maybe not as distant a future as you'd think—but it makes them no less exciting to see on the screen.

It's not just that it's fun to watch, either; these types of imaginative interfaces push us to consider that the way we interact with computers can have a profound impact on what we do with computers. As Justin Cone at Motionographer says, "Yeah yeah, it's "just" fiction, but it's edifying nonetheless. It points to the very real fact that many of the challenges facing contemporary society today can benefit from-or perhaps even by solved through-graphics." Check out more of Prologue's beautiful work for Iron Man 2 over to Motionographer. [Prologue via Motionographer]

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