Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Nook for Android now available to download, offers eBook lending

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/nook-for-android-now-available-to-download-offers-ebook-lending/

Well, what do you know? Turns out you don't actually need to invest in a Nook e-reader to enjoy the experience on your existing smartphone. And considering that the average Android smartphone will boast a display larger than your face within 2 years (if current trends continue, anyway), we'd say we could be onto something good here. At any rate, B&N's own eBookstore app is now available for Google's dear mobile OS, landing just weeks after Amazon pushed its Kindle app out into the same marketplace. Of course, B&N's not shying away from the competition, dubbing its app "the only Android e-reader application to offer eBook lending." It's available to download now on devices rocking Android 1.6 or above, and yes, even Android users can pick up on another platform where you leave off on your phone. Fancy.

Continue reading Nook for Android now available to download, offers eBook lending

Nook for Android now available to download, offers eBook lending originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What kind of fishing do you do? net, pole, or pod? do my fishing analogies for advertising work for u? - http://bit.ly/cC5sRY

Navigate The 3D Globe of News [Ipad]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5593410/navigate-the-3d-globe-of-news

Navigate The 3D Globe of News TV network ABC has released a custom ABC News iPad app that's interesting for two reasons—its clever use of HTML5 and the amazing rotating Globe of News.

Oh no, news isn't just listed in a list like some boring old RSS reader here, instead your lead stories are warped around a navigation globe, giving today's attention-lacking users a nice, easy, visual way of finding the very latest in Lindsay Lohan developments. [ABC News for iPad via PaidContent]

Fraunhofer FIT touch-free gesture-control for multiple users (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/21/fraunhofer-fit-touch-free-gesture-control-for-multiple-users-vi/

It seems like everyone is cooking up their own touch-free gesture-based control technology, just like every blogger is destined to refer to it as "Minority Report-like" or "Minority Report-esque," or "Tom Cruise-tastic!" Fraunhofer's FIT, the newest such project, has recently appeared on the YouTubes, where we must say it looks pretty darn good. Not only does it not require special gloves or markers, this thing also works in real time and can support multiple users (and multiple fingers). The researchers hope to use this for working with complex simulation data and in education, although there are some kinks to be worked out: currently elements like the reflections caused by wristwatches and the orientation of the palm confuses the system. That said, the demo is pretty rad! See for yourself after the break.

Continue reading Fraunhofer FIT touch-free gesture-control for multiple users (video)

Fraunhofer FIT touch-free gesture-control for multiple users (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung rolls out budget-minded PL200 point-and-shoot

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/21/samsung-rolls-out-budget-minded-pl200-point-and-shoot/

Not interested in Samsung's newfangled DualView cameras? Don't worry, the company is still cranking out plenty of regular point-and-shoots as well -- like this just-announced PL200 model. Coming in at a reasonable $179.99, this one packs a 14.2-megapixel sensor, a 7x optical zoom, a 3-inch LCD 'round back, 720p video recording, and dual optical and digital image stabilization, among other standard features. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look, and watch for the camera for to be available sometime this September in your choice of black, silver or red.

Gallery: Samsung PL200

Continue reading Samsung rolls out budget-minded PL200 point-and-shoot

Samsung rolls out budget-minded PL200 point-and-shoot originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Streak available for purchase 'in late July,' says US product page

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/21/dell-streak-available-for-purchase-in-late-july-says-us-produ/

It's funny to think, even after reviewing the device (thrice, at this point), that we still don't have a US release date for Dell's Streak. The company's been uncharacteristically coy, but the stateside product page does offer this tantalizing tidbit: "available for purchase in late July." That gives us a good 10-day window, so if you've been eyeballing that pre-sale button with intent to click, now might be the time jump on the list.

Dell Streak available for purchase 'in late July,' says US product page originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC reevaluates US broadband competitiveness, finds 14 to 24 million lack access

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/fcc-reevaluates-us-broadband-competitiveness-finds-14-to-24-mil/

The National Broadband Plan may one day bring broadband to everyone in the United States but, as a new report from the FCC itself reveals, there's still quite a ways to go. According to the report (issued every year by the agency), between 14 and 24 million Americans have no access to broadband, which is now defined by the FCC to be a 4Mbps downstream and 1Mbps upstream. That's a significant revision from the previous 200kbps downstream standard used by the annual report, and brings it in line with the minimum goals set by the National Broadband Plan. What does that mean for the 14 to 24 million without broadband access? Not much at the moment, unfortunately. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski says that those individuals are mostly in "expensive-to-serve areas with low population density," and that "without substantial reforms to the agency's universal service programs, these areas will continue to be unserved." Of course, that finding is just one part of the report -- hit up the source link below to check out the whole thing.

FCC reevaluates US broadband competitiveness, finds 14 to 24 million lack access originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlindType vows to autocorrect all wrongs with your iPhone or Android virtual keyboard (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/blindtype-vows-to-autocorrect-all-wrongs-by-replacing-your-virtu/

Remember that episode of The Simpsons where Homer gets too fat to be able to dial a number? Well, he wouldn't have had that problem had BlindType been around. This soft keyboard is described by its makers as being extremely resilient to inaccurate input and looking at the demo video after the break, you kinda have to agree -- it seems to have a pretty kickass predictive algorithm. Aside from that, the keyboard also dynamically adjusts to wherever and however you choose to type, meaning its size and orientation track along to your input, which goes some way to justifying the somewhat odd name (it's meant for blind operation, not blind people). Text can be inserted without the keyboard even being on screen, while spaces are added by swiping to the right. BlindType should be coming to Android and iOS devices some time in the near future.

[Thanks, Fadl]

Update: We asked BlindType's makers whether implementing their software will require replacing Apple's default button slate and they've confirmed that it would. They're making and submitting it for iOS use, nonetheless, "to put pressure on Apple to finally allow this kind of thing."

Continue reading BlindType vows to autocorrect all wrongs with your iPhone or Android virtual keyboard (video)

BlindType vows to autocorrect all wrongs with your iPhone or Android virtual keyboard (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexar's 128GB Echo SE USB thumb drive continuously backs up your netbook, mobile life

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/lexars-128gb-echo-se-usb-thumb-drive-continuously-backs-up-your/

Previously available in 16GB and 32GB versions, Lexar's Echo SE line just got gigantic. And a lot more useful, if we should say so ourselves. With many SSDs topping out at 128GB, and quite a few netbooks shipping with 160GB HDDs, having this USB drive plugged essentially allows your entire laptop to be continuously backed up. The built-in, "no touch software" automatically backs up files in use, requiring absolutely no activation on your end. We're told that the little bugger will work with Windows and OS X platforms, but the assurance of having your mobile life backed up at all times will cost ya. And by that, we mean "make you $349.99 poorer." It's available now at various e-tailers (Amazon, Newegg, etc.) if you're willing to pay the premium.

Continue reading Lexar's 128GB Echo SE USB thumb drive continuously backs up your netbook, mobile life

Lexar's 128GB Echo SE USB thumb drive continuously backs up your netbook, mobile life originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 03:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Horizon's Minipak, Hydrofill and Hydrostik fuel cell devices go up for pre-order

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/horizons-minipak-hydrofill-and-hydrostik-fuel-cell-devices-go/

We first learned of Horizon's most recent fuel cell-powered aspirations back at CES, but the company has been radio silent ever since. Well, until today. As of this very moment in time, a trio of alternative energy charging solutions are up for pre-order on the company's site, and while they promised that the family would be available by the end of 2010, it seems as if the first shipments will head out as early as next month. The Minipak -- described as a charging device that integrates a passive air-breathing fuel cell and a 'solid-state' hydrogen storage unit -- is up for pre-order at $99.99, while the monstrous Hydrofill water-to-hydrogen-to-power converter can also be claimed for $499.99. Last (but certainly not least), the Hydrostik can be reserved for a penny under a Hamilton. Go on, give that source link a look -- your angered AAs will peter out before they're able to take up arms, anyway.

[Thanks, Mitchell]

Horizon's Minipak, Hydrofill and Hydrostik fuel cell devices go up for pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Onkyo busts out HDMI-connected 10.1-inch picture frame

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/onkyo-busts-out-hdmi-connected-10-1-inch-picture-frame/

To cut a long story short, Onkyo's LPF10M01 is basically a netbook's screen sans (most of) the netbook. 10.1 inches of LED-backlit LCD get covered in a 1,024 x 600 pixel array and are backed up by 250 nits of brightness and a 500 to 1 contrast ratio. The big selling point here is the inclusion of an HDMI input -- still something of a rarity in picture frames -- which sidles up alongside a USB port, SDHC and Memory Stick card reader, and 512MB of integrated memory. We're fancying the flexibility of using it as a secondary display or as part of some truly minimalist desktop environment, but doubt many will be won over by the austere 140 degree horizontal viewing angle, which narrow down to a zany 110 on the vertical axis. Anyhow, it launches on August 6 in Japan for around ¥19,800 ($227).

Onkyo busts out HDMI-connected 10.1-inch picture frame originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayStation 3 could get 3D depth slider Ã¡ la the 3DS

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/playstation-3-could-get-3d-depth-slider-a-la-the-3ds/

How will sir be having his gimmick today? The devs behind the upcoming Sly Cooper 3D compilation are wisely mulling over the idea of inserting a 3D-adjusting slider to let users decide just how much stereoscopy they want with their Sony-approved gaming. It's argued that this should allow you greater positional flexibility when smacking fools down in three dimensions, as you'll be able to manually toggle the depth of the 3D effect to suit your viewing angle. We were happy to see such an option introduced in the Nintendo 3DS at E3 and would similarly welcome its inclusion on the PS3 -- though that's no foregone conclusion as yet. All we can say for sure right now is that the stuff is adjustable, but it looks like it'll be up to devs to roll their sleeves up and integrate the slider into their games. Hey, it's the summer, not like they've got anything else to do, right?

PlayStation 3 could get 3D depth slider á la the 3DS originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RT @acfou Is your advertising like casting a wide net but not knowing whether fish are even in the vicinity? http://bit.ly/cC5sRY

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

SimplyNoise White Noise Generator Now Features Sleep Timer and iOS App [White Noise]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5592227/simplynoise-now-features-sleep-timer-and-ios-app

SimplyNoise White Noise Generator Now Features Sleep Timer and iOS App Two years ago we featured SimplyNoise, a dead-simple white noise generator. A recent update adds in additional sounds, features, and an iOS app for white-noise naps on the go.

Originally SimplyNoise did one thing: play an endless loop of white noise at your preferred volume. The site overhaul introduces several new and useful features. You can now select from white noise, pink noise, and brown noise. Which sound, respectively, like radio static, ocean waves, and airplane droning. You can set them to oscillate—pink noise on oscillation sounds like perfectly time waves crashing—and a new sleep timer makes it easy to fade out the sound after you've dozed off or to set an end time for your power nap.

If you want to take the new features with you SimplyNoise is available as a $0.99 iOS application. Otherwise, the site is free and requires no registration for use. Check out the site below to sample the random noise generator or listen to—and download for free—their featured soundscapes. The current offering is an hour long thunderstorm track. Have a favorite site for the perfect power nap soundtrack? Let's hear about it in the comments.

SimplyNoise 2.0 [via DownloadSquad]

Are You Watching This?! Makes Sure You Never Miss a Classic Game in the Making [Sports]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5592241/are-you-watching-this-makes-sure-you-never-miss-a-classic-game-in-the-making

Are You Watching This?! Makes Sure You Never Miss a Classic Game in the Making If you're a sports fan with diverse tastes, you've long since realized you can't possibly watch every broadcast game. Web site Are You Watching This?! keeps you updated on which current games are shaping up to be instant classics.

What problem is Are You Watching This?! seeking to solve? As they highlight on their web site, one out of four days in the year has over a hundred professional sporting events, and there are over 6,000 channels broadcasting all these local and national games. Are You Watching This?! analyzes in-progress games with an algorithm to determine—based on the current game, historical data for the sport, and other factors—if the game is a hot game with a chance of becoming an "instant classic" as a result of factors like overtime, high scores, unique plays, and more. When it is, RUWT?! will notify you via email or text message so you can catch the game live (or at least turn on your DVR).

Want to know if a game is worth watching after the fact? Check out previously reviewed Should I Watch This? to get notified if you should rush home to catch a recorded game. Are You Watching This?! is available directly from the web site and as a desktop widget, a Firefox and Chrome extension, and for Android, iOS, and Palm OS.

Are You Watching This?!

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