Thursday, November 04, 2010

The Urbee Hybrid is the first car to come out of a printer, presumably a big one

The Urbee Hybrid is the first car to come out of a printer, presumably a big one

The Urbee Hybrid is the first car to come out of a printer, presumably a big one
3D Printers are getting ever more advanced and, apparently, ever bigger too. Proof to that is the Urbee Hybrid, the result of a partnership between transportation company Kor Ecologic and Stratasys, who we've already seen shamelessly rebranding its 3D printers as HP Designjets. Kor provided the concept and the underpinnings of the thing, a design that amazingly has its roots in the early '90s but has been given a new, teardrop body 100 percent printed by Stratasys. Underneath is a plug-in hybrid powertrain that manages up to 200mpg on the highway and 100mpg around town running on ethanol or plain 'ol gasoline. No, there are no plans for the three-wheelin' Urbee to actually see production, and beneath that luscious shape rolls something that looks rather more like a work in progress, which you can see in an early video below.

Continue reading The Urbee Hybrid is the first car to come out of a printer, presumably a big one

The Urbee Hybrid is the first car to come out of a printer, presumably a big one originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 09:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Swit! ched  |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Superchips turns an Archos into a vehicle interface, dubs it 'Vivid'

Superchips turns an Archos into a vehicle interface, dubs it 'Vivid'

Superchips turns an Archos into a vehicle interface, dubs it 'Vivid'
We've seen the awful, terrible, hideous things that an iPad can do to an otherwise respectable car interior, and now it's time to see what horrors Android can unleash. Superchips, makers of chips and flash units to summon a few extra ponies under the hood, has announced the creation of the Vivid "vehicle performance programmer" -- an Archos 43 Internet Tablet that's been... augmented with some software. Thanks to this, and a Bluetooth ODB-II module, the car can monitor car performance in real-time and display data while also acting as a G-meter and even a back-up camera. No word on what any of this will cost when it ships in early 2011, but those who already have a little Android buddy will be happy to know that a standalone Bluetooth dongle called the AVID will be releasing in the summertime, enabling all the same functionality without the need for another device. What'll we stuff in our headrests then?

Continue reading Superchips turns an Archos into a vehicle interface, dubs it 'Vivid'

Superchips turns an Archos into a vehicle interface, dubs it 'Vivid' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Table Connect for iPhone demonstrated on video, makes us want

Table Connect for iPhone demonstrated on video, makes us want

Sure, showing an image and boasting wildly is one thing, but it's another thing entirely to see something as outlandish as this functioning on video. The gurus behind the Table Connect for iPhone have returned, using a jailbroken iPhone, a dedicated app (for now) and a freshly washed hand to demonstrate what iOS looks like on a 58-inch multitouch table. We've got to say -- for early software, it sure is snappy. Of course, practicality is still in question, but who ever cared about that? Head on past the break and mash play.

[Thanks, Bogdan]

Continue reading Table Connect for iPhone demonstrated on video, makes us want

Table Connect for iPhone demonstrated on video, makes us want originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TUAW  |  sourceTable Connect for iPhone  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Hitachi GST's G-Drive Slim: world's thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive

Hitachi GST's G-Drive Slim: world's thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive

Not like we need our 2.5-inch external drives to get that much smaller, but who are we to kvetch about progress? Hitachi GST has just outed what it calls the thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive in the world. The G-Drive Slim is encased in a 128.6- x 82- x 9.9mm aluminum enclosure, and tucked within is a slimmer-than-usual 7mm Travelstar Z5K320 hard drive. The USB-powered unit comes formatted for use with Macs, but a quick reformat on your Windows machine will have its mind changed in no time flat. For now, it's only available in a 320GB flavor for $99.99, and you'll only find it at your local Apple Store.

Continue reading Hitachi GST's G-Drive Slim: world's thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive

Hitachi GST's G-Drive Slim: world's thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PC World  |  sourceG-Technology  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 now official: 12.1MP, Full HD movie mode

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 now official: 12.1MP, Full HD movie mode

At long last, the Lumix DMC-GF2. Hitting the scene just a few weeks after the GH2, this here Micro Four Thirds rig is Panasonic's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera, and it's packin' quite the specs list. From the top, you're looking at a 12.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor, compatibility with the company's own 3D interchangeable lens (the LUMIX G 12.5mm / F12) and an enclosure that's seven percent lighter (not to mention 19 percent smaller) than the GF1. You'll also find a three-inch touchpanel on the rear, contrast AF system, a freshly designed Touch Q user interface, internal dust reduction system and the ability to record video at 1920 x 1080/60i or 1280 x 720/60p in AVCHD. Better still, lower resolution options are available with Motion JPEG recording, and the 23-area focusing system shouldn't have a difficult time nailing your subject. We should point out that the ISO only ranges from 100 to 6400, but the included hot shoe accessory definitely allows for a flash. Of course, there's no optical viewfinder here, but hey, you can't have it all when you're looking to save space. The GF2 will ship in January with three color choices (silver, red and black) and two bundle options: a 14mm F2.5 pancake kit and a 14-42mm zoom lens kit. Unfortunately for you, pricing won't be announced until mid-to-late December. Bah, humbug!

Continue reading Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 now official: 12.1MP, Full HD movie mode

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 now official: 12.1MP, Full HD movie mode originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this |  Comments

Read More...

Sharp Galapagos 003SH and 005SH bring glasses-free 3D to Japanese Android lovers

Sharp Galapagos 003SH and 005SH bring glasses-free 3D to Japanese Android lovers

Hey, what could the maker of the 3DS' autostereoscopic display be doing in its spare time? Why, stealing a bit of thunder for itself, by the looks of it. Sharp has just trotted out a pair of glasses-free 3D Android handsets for Japan's Softbank network in the form of the touchscreen slate 003SH and QWERTY-slidin' 005SH. A 1GHz Snapdragon powers Froyo on both, with the 3D-capable displays stretching to 3.8 inches and 800 x 480 resolution. The 003SH also comes with a 9.6 megapixel camera capable of 720p video, while the 005SH settles for 8 megapixels. There are also bundled 3D content deals in place, such as the one with Capcom that will see Mega Man, Resident Evil and Ghosts 'n Goblins titles coming preloaded on the handsets. Intrigued? The 003SH is coming this December, to be followed by the 005SH in February.

Sharp Galapagos 003SH and 005SH bring glasses-free 3D to Japanese Android lovers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Japanese  |  sourceSoftbank (003SH), (005SH)  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Intel Light Peak on track for release in first half of 2011?

Intel Light Peak on track for release in first half of 2011?

10Gbps. In both directions. At the same time. That's been the tantalizing promise of Intel's Light Peak optical interconnect, and now we're hearing its penchant for speed is overflowing into the company's roadmap. CNET cites a source familiar with developments behind the scenes in reporting that Light Peak is expected to arrive in the early part of next year, slightly accelerating the already known plans for delivering the technology at some point in 2011. We've already been graced with a set of Light Peak-enabled prototypes, so you could've guessed things were gathering pace, but it's always good to get the odd bit of anonymous confirmation that things are moving along swiftly. And hey, when Light Peak hardware finally drops, we can just switch gears and start salivating over improvements that'll lift that 10Gbps ceiling even further.

Intel Light Peak on track for release in first half of 2011? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  CNET  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Dynamic 3D holograms can now refresh every two seconds, save galaxies in their spare time

Dynamic 3D holograms can now refresh every two seconds, save galaxies in their spare time

Perhaps the biggest challenge in making holograms usable on a daily basis -- aside from having to film your subject with a million trillion cameras -- is in getting their refresh rates up to the levels we're used to with "normal" two-dimensional video. We're still a fair way away from those magical 30fps, but the University of Arizona is touting a heretofore unheard of redraw rate of once every two seconds. This is a major advance from their first dynamic holograms demonstrated two years ago, which required minutes to swap over to a new image. The current prototype is built on a 10-inch photorefractive polymer screen, with lasers beaming information onto it, though 17-inch versions are also being tested. Another present limitation is that the hologram displayed can only be of one color, but that is also subject to the continuing labors of the UA researchers, who foresee no major hurdles preventing them from eventually cobbling together full-color, fast-refreshing, and fully realized 3D holograms. Now that'd be 3D television we can all get behind. Or in front of, depending on the viewing angle we want.

Continue reading Dynamic 3D holograms can now refresh every two seconds, save galaxies in their spare time

Dynamic 3D holograms can now refresh every two seconds, save galaxies in their spare time originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 06:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceUA News  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Gigabyte's Booktop T1125 convertible tablet also converts into a desktop, ships soon

Gigabyte's Booktop T1125 convertible tablet also converts into a desktop, ships soon

Gigabyte's Booktop T1125 convertible tablet also converts into a desktop, ships soonConvertible tablets are a hardly a rarity, but while their non-convertible cousins may be getting all the press lately how many of those can morph into a mighty desktop? Okay, the T1125 isn't exactly mighty with its Core i5 or i3 ULV processors, but its sideways dock does let it turn into a respectable desktop, still leaving that 11.6-inch touchscreen available for use. USB 3.0 ports are on-offer for your high-speed peripherals, Optimus tech to boost battery life, and THX-certified dual-channel speakers will let you properly shatter Grandpa's teeth on the go. The T1125 is set to ship sometime later this month for $1,299, fingerprints not included.

Gigabyte's Booktop T1125 convertible tablet also converts into a desktop, ships soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink ! ;   |  sourceDigiTimes  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

ASUS WiCast EW2000 1080p streaming solution reviewed: 'lots of wires for wireless'

ASUS WiCast EW2000 1080p streaming solution reviewed: 'lots of wires for wireless'

It's a modern day dilemma, really -- you'd love to hang that flat panel on your wall, but the wireless technologies available to mere mortals in the year 2010 just aren't up to snuff. Wireless power is a pipe dream, and even wireless HDMI has its drawbacks. Case in point: ASUS' new WiCast media streaming solution. Introduced last month in conjunction with Amimon, this high(er)-end streamer is theoretically capable of transmitting 1080p material over the air, with 3Gbps at its disposal. Trouble is, critics at AnandTech found that there were gobs of wires to connect before anything started to stream "wirelessly," and moreover, they noticed significant artifacting in Iron Man 2 even with just five feet separating the receiver and transmitter. The good news is that the WiCast isn't platform / machine-specific, but that luxury comes with a price -- you'll have to connect three cables (two USB and an HDMI) to your laptop and a receiver box to your HDTV. In the end, there seems to be just one real winner: Monoprice.

ASUS WiCast EW2000 1080p streaming solution reviewed: 'lots of wires for wireless' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAnandTech  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Transcend issues four new CFast 500 memory cards, promises 108MB/sec transfer rates

Transcend issues four new CFast 500 memory cards, promises 108MB/sec transfer rates

February 2010 has come and gone, and we're still not seeing a heck of a lot of traction with regard to CFast. Hailed as the next major leap in the CompactFlash standard, CFast cards rely on the SATA interface versus UDMA / IDE, with Transcend's latest expected to boast transfer rates of 108MB/sec. As with other CFast cards, these too are shaped exactly like existing CompactFlash units, and while it seems as if the company is pushing these towards enterprise and industrial applications right now, it's just a matter of time before they make the jaunt to your local camera shop. Expect four sizes (2/4/8/16GB) to pop up in the next few months, and feel free to let your imagination run wild with respect to prices.

Continue reading Transcend issues four new CFast 500 memory cards, promises 108MB/sec transfer rates

Transcend issues four new CFast 500 memory cards, promises 108MB/sec transfer rates originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use o! f feeds< /a>.

Permalink CNET  |  sourceCompactFlash (PDF)  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

N-Trig: 'the most useful Android slates will be pen-enabled'

N-Trig: 'the most useful Android slates will be pen-enabled'

Sure, N-Trig's DuoSense combined pen / capacitive touch technology has become a household name when talking about Tablet PCs, and most recently has popped up in the HP Slate, but as you may expect the company is planning on pushing into other tablet territories. N-Trig's VP of Marketing Gary Baum told us earlier today that the Israel-based company will certainly support other operating systems (flavors of Linux, such as Ubuntu, etc.) and is in fact working with hardware partners on Android tablets. That means those latter slates would have capacitive touchscreens that support both pen and finger input -- something we haven't yet seen on any other non-resistive Android tablets. It's certainly a differentiator, and Baum wasn't shy about stating that "the most useful Android slates will be pen-enabled." (Funny enough, he told us the guys at N-Trig call the other contenders out there "JAAS," or "just another Android slate.") However, like us, you're probably thinking: what about the apps? Considering there are very few (if any) Android apps that take advantage of pen input, it's an question mark, and though Baum wouldn't comment on any specific upcoming stylus-optimized programs / software, he hinted that they'd come. Curious about availability and partnership? We hear ya, but unfortunately, that part of the equation is still missing.

N-Trig: 'the most useful Android slates will be pen-enabled' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Creative gets official with Android-based Zen Touch 2 PMP

Creative gets official with Android-based Zen Touch 2 PMP

Hard to say if this is the direct (or indirect) replacement to the Creative X-Fi2 we toyed with 13 months ago, but the new Zen Touch 2 has snuck out behind the cover of two ZiiO touch tablets. This here PMP sports a 3.2-inch touchscreen, Android 2.1 underneath, Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, an accelerometer, inbuilt speaker, two megapixel camera, microSD card slot, GPS, digital compass, FM radio tuner and a run-of-the-mill plastic enclosure. That last bit is according to Pocket-lint's brief hands-on with the device, noting that the touch panel is of the resistive variety and the user interface was jumpy and problematic to say the least. It'll be landing soon in 8GB and 16GB sizes for S$279 ($216 in Greenbacks) and up, but we get the impression that price and availability may not matter much in the grand scheme of things.

Creative gets official with Android-based Zen Touch 2 PMP originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Pocket-lint (1), (2)  |  Creative (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Archos 70 Internet Tablet now shipping for $279 with 8GB storage, Android 2.2

Archos 70 Internet Tablet now shipping for $279 with 8GB storage, Android 2.2

Archos wasn't going to settle for shipping a single Android device out today, no sirree -- the French PMP specialists are pumping out these 7-inch Archos 70 Internet Tablets effective immediately. $279 buys you a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 8GB of flash storage, and Android 2.2 running on an 800 x 480 capacitive multitouch screen, with an OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics accelerator, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth and a front-facing VGA camera in an 11oz, 0.43-inch thin package that screams to be held. Sadly, you still won't find Android Market on here, though we'll give Archos credit for ditching most of the proprietary connectors and ports, which should make sideloading your own apps somewhat less of a chore. (There's also a microSDHC card slot.) Expect a 250GB hard-drive model to debut any day now for $350... along with our full review.

[Thanks, androidboi]

Archos 70 Internet Tablet now shipping for $279 with 8GB storage, Android 2.2 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceArchos  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Intel Chief River laptop platform to support USB 3.0, arrive in 2012?

Intel Chief River laptop platform to support USB 3.0, arrive in 2012?

Another Intel processor platform that sounds like a campground? Of course it is! This one is pretty far out -- like 2012 far out -- but if Digitimes is to be believed Intel's actually gearing up to reveal its Chief River laptop platform at CES in January. Said to be based on the 22nm Ivy Bridge processors and have native support for USB 3.0 (finally!), the platform would follow Huron River / Sandy Bridge, which is set to start shipping in laptops in early 2011. (Side note: Digitimes also mentions that we should start seeing Sandy Bridge laptops at this year's CES, which lines up with what we've heard from our own sources.) The word from motherboard manufacturers is that Chief River wouldn't actually go into mass production until September 2011 and start shipping in systems until January 2012, which makes quite a bit of sense given Intel's annual timing on these things. Either way, we should be finding out more in a couple months in Vegas -- heck, you never know, Intel may even tell us a bit about its 2013 laptop platform. Shall we give them a hand with potential names?

Intel Chief River laptop platform to support USB 3.0, arrive in 2012? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 01:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDigitimes  | Email this | Comments

Read More...