Monday, October 24, 2011

drag2share: How The Gadget Show built its FPS simulator (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/how-the-gadget-show-built-its-fps-simulator-video/

Remember The Gadget Show's FPS simulator that we showed you last week? Armed with naught but a pre-release level of Battlefield 3 and £500,000 ($650,000), it transformed a Birmingham studio into the sort of game room only multi-billionaires can dream of (as long as the dreams involved getting shot back, the sim comes packing paintball markers). The episode, which shows how this slice of gaming greatness came to be, has just finished airing here in the UK, where streaming and catch-up services aren't available to those outside the country. Fortunately for you lot, our friends at the show have uploaded the feature for you to watch in all it's glory after the break.

Continue reading How The Gadget Show built its FPS simulator (video)

How The Gadget Show built its FPS simulator (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: NICT, JVC Kenwood team up for wall-sized 3D HD display, lets in your face advertising get literal

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/nict-jvc-kenwood-team-up-for-wall-sized-3d-hd-display-lets-in/

Been holding out hope for a real-life holodeck? Well, looks like Japan's got wall number one out of four already covered. We kid, we kid. That Trekkie tech future's still a ways off, but recent prototypes like this 200-inch auto-stereoscopic 3D screen are bringing that illusive reality one step closer to our living rooms. Exhibited during CEATEC 2011, this 1920 x 1080 full HD display plays images at 60fps using an array of 57 projectors, and offers up viewing angles of 13 degrees. What does all of that mean for you? Well, the setup gives viewers a limited ability to peer around projected objects, so long as they stay within a 1.3m (about 4ft) area. It's yet another fruit of the collaboration between the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and JVC Kenwood, except this one's headed for the realm of outdoor digital advertising. Home theater aficionados looking for a virtual entertainment solution can always opt for Sony's HMD, but that kind of defeats the glasses-free allure.

NICT, JVC Kenwood team up for wall-sized 3D HD display, lets in your face advertising get literal originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unified Marketing(tm) - the new "integrated marketing" - (chart) http://bit.ly/3Hk1YO (article) http://bit.ly/mQfPXU

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drag2share: Ice Cream Sandwich supports USB game controllers and HDMI, turns your phone into full game console

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/ice-cream-sandwich-supports-usb-game-controllers-and-hdmi-turns/

Take that, Xperia Play. USB gamepads are already supported in Honeycomb, so we had plenty of hope that Android 4.0 -- also lovingly referred to as Ice Cream Sandwich -- would offer the same functionality. We finally have the answer, and it's a resounding yes, courtesy of Google framework engineer Romain Guy's Twitter account. The cool part, though, is that HDMI's playing nice as well. In short, you could hook up an external gamepad to a USB-to-microUSB adapter on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, connect it to your TV and transform your handset into a fancy portable gaming console. It's definitely something we can see developers flock towards, and we'll expect some cool stuff to come out of it. Just in case you thought the Nexus wouldn't let you get anything else done around the house already, this pretty much seals the deal. Move below the break to see a screenshot from the SDK.

Continue reading Ice Cream Sandwich supports USB game controllers and HDMI, turns your phone into full game console

Ice Cream Sandwich supports USB game controllers and HDMI, turns your phone into full game console originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

drag2share: Samsung Stratosphere, Motorola Droid RAZR to be first Verizon LTE phones with Micro SIMs?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/23/samsung-stratosphere-motorola-droid-razr-to-be-first-verizon-lt/

Looks like Verizon's got a hardware-crush on teensy 3FF Micro SIMs. The carrier's two latest 4G handsets, Samsung's Stratosphere and Motorola's Droid RAZR, both appear to make do with the diminutive cards. Neither, however, would be the first, as that honor was bestowed upon the carrier's version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. If you're eager to call one of these devices your own, but already sport Big Red's LTE service, then get set to bust out the scissors for a little SIM card arts and crafts. Further pictorial proof of these itsy, bitsy modules awaits you at the source.

Samsung Stratosphere, Motorola Droid RAZR to be first Verizon LTE phones with Micro SIMs? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 08:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |  sourceSlashGear  | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Switched On: Android's tablet traversal

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/23/switched-on-androids-tablet-traversal/

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

At AsiaD this week, Google's Andy Rubin noted that there were at least six million Android tablets in use. That number included only those running Google services. One could question whether the briskly selling Nook Color -- which is not open to Android apps at large -- is relevant to that tally, at least from a developer perspective. It will certainly be the case, though, that the Kindle Fire -- also expected to be a hot seller -- will be an important addition to the number moving forward.

Still, Rubin conceded, it was a tally far behind that of the 30 million cumulative units of the iPad, which broke open the modern-day tablet category, extended its lead with the iPad 2, and will likely see another revision this coming spring. When Apple introduced its tablet device, it set a precedent for third-party developers by rewriting core applications to take advantage of the iPad's larger display with "HD" versions. And while there are still far fewer native iPad apps than iPhone apps, Apple is far ahead in the race for native tablet software.

But not everyone wants to join that race.

Continue reading Switched On: Android's tablet traversal

Switched On: Android's tablet traversal originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Chromebooks now available to enterprise and education customers with a pay-once option

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/23/chromebooks-now-available-to-enterprise-and-education-customers/

Chromebook
Google made a big splash when it revealed plans to offer Chromebooks to enterprise and education customers under a subscription model. What's not clear is how much of a splash it actually made in those markets. While the notion of paying a monthly fee for three years, instead of buying a machine up front sounds like a game changer, some people just like the comfort of the familiar. To that end Google is now offering those same customers the option to purchase a Chromebook (with a year of support included) in one lump sum -- $449 for the WiFi model or $519 for the 3G to educational customers, while business are looking at $559 and $639 respectively. After that first year is through, customers have the option to sign up for a monthly support contract, at $5 a month for education and $13 a month for enterprise.

Chromebooks now available to enterprise and education customers with a pay-once option originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Next Web  |  sourceGoogle Enterprise Blog  | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: CHART OF THE DAY: The iPad Is A Bigger Hit Than The iPhone (AAPL)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-ipad-iphone-2011-10

The iPhone may have kicked off the smartphone revolution, but so far the iPad is selling much faster.

This chart shows unit sales of each products in the first six quarters after launch. The iPhone launched in June 2007, but didn't really take off until the iPhone 3G launched in July 2008, five quarters later.

The iPad launched in January 2010, and has sold more units every quarter.

That's partly because the iPad benefits from all the work Apple did for the iPhone, including a huge base of developers and customers who already understand how the product works. The iPhone is also constrained by carrier contracts -- it's hard to convince customers to buy a new phone before their current contract is up -- and had stronger competition at launch (like the BlackBerry).

chart of the day, iphones vs ipads, october 2011

Follow the Chart Of The Day on Twitter: @chartoftheday

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Saturday, October 22, 2011

drag2share: OpenELEC Is a Fast-Booting, Self-Updating Version of XBMC for Home Theater PCs [Downloads]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5851924/openelec-is-a-hassle+free-xbmc-distribution-for-home-theater-pcs

OpenELEC Is a Fast-Booting, Self-Updating Version of XBMC for Home Theater PCsOpenELEC aims to make home theater PCs as much like your DVD player as possible, using a lightweight, instant-on version of XBMC that updates itself for a maintenance-free media center.

We talk a lot about XBMC around here, because it makes a great home theater PC—but it can often take a lot of work to set up. Even if you use XBMC Live—the easy-install distribution we used for our silent, standalone XBMC machine—you're essentially installing Ubuntu Linux on your PC with XBMC on top of it, which brings in a lot of software you don't necessarily need. Plus, it can take a bit of work to update the box and fiddle with its configuration. If all you want is a simple media center, OpenELEC makes XBMC's installation and maintenance a snap so you can just get to the good stuff: watching your movies.

OpenELEC's two main advantages when compared to XMBC are its super fast boot times, and its ability to update and configure XBMC right from XBMC itself—you shouldn't need to deal with the terminal or any other Linux nonsense during the process.

Note: Currently the OpenELEC batch installer (this is the script that installs OpenELEC on your thumb drive) is for Windows users only. If you're on Linux, this page should help. The Linux Terminal instructions could also work on Macs, but we haven't tested, so let us know if you do.

Here's how it works:

  1. Download OpenELEC from its web site. There are a few different versions, but it's pretty easy to see which one is right for you. They even have a version for the first generation Apple TV. (if you've got an Apple TV 2, you'll have to stick with our previous guide for installing XBMC for now.)
    OpenELEC Is a Fast-Booting, Self-Updating Version of XBMC for Home Theater PCs
  2. Unzip the archive you downloaded and double click the create_installstick.bat file. Insert a flash drive and choose it from the menu that pops up. The script will erase your flash drive and put the OpenELEC installer on it. Linux users check out this guide to create your flash drive. There don't seem to be any Mac instructions, so Mac users should borrow a Windows PC from a friend for 30 seconds if possible.
  3. Put the new flash drive installer into your home theater PC and start it up. You may need to enter the BIOS setup to make sure your computer is set to boot from USB (usually you do this by pressing Delete, or some other key as your computer boots—your screen should say which key when you boot). You should then see the installer, pictured above.
  4. The installer is incredibly simple. Just choose the Quick or Custom install, and choose the hard drive on which you want to install OpenELEC (this will erase everything on that drive). When it's done, just reboot your machine and remove your flash drive. It should boot right into XBMC.

OpenELEC Is a Fast-Booting, Self-Updating Version of XBMC for Home Theater PCsFrom there, setting up XBMC is easy. OpenELEC has some configuration guides if your remote, sound, or display don't work out of the box, and building your library is as easy as hitting "Add Source" from the Videos or Music menu. You can even install extra add-ons right from XBMC. If you want to turn on automatic updating, just head to Programs > OpenELEC Settings, and change the "Updates" setting to "Automatic". Whenever a new update is available, it'll automatically download and prompt you to reboot. And, best of all, rebooting should take no time at all, since OpenELEC is designed to boot insanely fast—sometimes as quickly as 10 seconds.

Check out OpenELEC's web site below for more detailed installation and troubleshooting guides. OpenELEC is a free download.

OpenELEC


You can contact Whitson Gordon, the author of this post, at whitson@lifehacker.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.
 

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drag2share: Amazon Prime Instant Video expands its library with even more video from PBS

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/amazon-prime-instant-video-expands-its-library-with-even-more-vi/

PBS has been down with Amazon's Prime Instant Video service since it launched, and now it's providing even more all-you-can-eat video for streaming under an expanded agreement. Naturally that means lots of episodes of NOVA and Antiques Roadshow, and "for the first time on digital video", 200 episodes of The French Chef with Julia Child. According to Amazon, that puts its total number of selections over 12,000, more than double the amount of content it launched with. It still has a ways to go to match Netflix, but with a lower yearly price, sweet shipping deal and now the ability to teach you how to make an omelet, Amazon has developed a very compelling alternative.

Continue reading Amazon Prime Instant Video expands its library with even more video from PBS

Amazon Prime Instant Video expands its library with even more video from PBS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus WiFi hitting the US November 13th for $400, available in 16GB for now

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/samsung-galaxy-tab-7-0-plus-wifi-hitting-the-us-november-13th-fo/

Nearly a month after its initial announcement, Samsung's ready to deliver the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to the good ol' US of A just in time for the winter gift-giving season. The WiFi-only device, which packs a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM, Android 3.2, 3MP camera with 720p HD video capture and a 7-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution, will be begging for your credit card as of November 13th at Best Buy, Amazon and other retailers. Are you an early adopter? No prob -- you'll have the opportunity to pre-order yours at "select retailers" this coming Sunday, though no specific outlets were called out by name. The 16GB is the only version arriving so far, but Sammy told us to expect the 32GB flavor later this year or early 2012 (likely for $499, if yesterday's brief appearance on Amazon is any indicator). No word on partnerships with carriers yet, but we'll keep you posted on any updates. View the press release in all its glory below.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus WiFi hitting the US November 13th for $400, available in 16GB for now

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus WiFi hitting the US November 13th for $400, available in 16GB for now originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: ASUS Zenbook UX31 review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/asus-zenbook-ux31-review/

It was just last week that we got to take home the Acer Aspire S3, the first Ultrabook to go on sale here in the States. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to the pillars laid out by Intel: its performance trails similar machines, its battery craps out early and the design, while portable, is too chintzy to make it a bellwether for skinny Windows laptops. Our verdict, in a sentence, was that you'd be better off getting a MacBook Air, or at least considering other Ultrabooks -- namely, ASUS' line of Zenbooks.

As it turns out, one showed up on our doorstep just a few days later. In many ways, the UX31 is everything the S3 is not: it has a gorgeous all-metal design and comes standard with an SSD and 1600 x 900 display (not to mention, a case and two bundled adapters). And with a starting price of $1,099, it undercuts the entry-level (and similarly configured) MacBook Air by two hundred bucks. So is this the Ultrabook we've all been waiting for? We suggest pouring yourself a large beverage, settling into a comfy chair and meeting us past the break. We've got a lot to say on the subject.

Continue reading ASUS Zenbook UX31 review

ASUS Zenbook UX31 review originally appeared on Engadget on F ri, 21 Oct 2011 16:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Verizon (finally) confirms it will have the Galaxy Nexus

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/verizon-finally-confirms-it-will-have-the-galaxy-nexus/

After a few leaks and false starts, Verizon has finally made its plans to offer the Galaxy Nexus "later this year" official. That's really the only detail revealed, as its price, release date and availability on other carriers are still unknown. Check out the press release after the break if you need any more confirmation.

Continue reading Verizon (finally) confirms it will have the Galaxy Nexus

Verizon (finally) confirms it will have the Galaxy Nexus originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, October 21, 2011

drag2share: Iris for Android: Kind of Like Siri, But for Android [Android Apps]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5851896/iris-for-android-kind-of-like-siri-but-for-android

Iris for Android: Kind of Like Siri, But for AndroidHave an Android phone? Jealous of Siri? Probably not. But if you are! There's a new application called Iris (Siri backwards, heh) that kind of, sort of emulates what Siri does. You tap a mic, you talk and Iris responds to you.

What's it do?

Let's be honest here, Android has always had an emphasis on voice control in its OS but it's never been as converational as Siri is for the iPhone 4S. Iris, which was amazingly completed in 8 hours by Android dev Narayan Babu and his team at Dexetra, is a heckuva more conversational. It understands the questions you ask by voice and then spits out answers back at you. It's not always accurate (neither is Siri) but it's only in alpha and has a pretty good sense of humor about itself. You can have a general conversation with Iris or ask her questions about science, history, culture and more. Iris doesn't seem to have any math skills but she's quick on the draw with Wikipedia responses (which is all I really want).


Why do we like it?

The app isn't nearly as useful as Siri, it's also a lot slower than Siri but it's proof that the Android dev community is amazing. That's more or less the reason I love Iris, Android devs can get inspired from an idea and turn it around into a usable app in no time. Iris does a pretty good job in understanding what I'm saying, which is great! But it doesn't do as good a job processing my question into a relevant answer. When I asked what 5+5 was, it responded "the audio work by Kit Clayton vs Safety Scissors'. Basic, simpler and non-math queries work decently well but you shouldn't expect it to solve the harder questions (though it'll be funny!). It flashes the potential every now and again though.

Iris

Download this app for:

The Best

Hilarious!

The Worst

Slow

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drag2share: Nyko Zoom for Kinect hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/20/nyko-zoom-for-kinect-hands-on/

Microsoft's next Xbox 360 Dashboard update may be packing enough deep Kinect integration to make your inner Anderton tingle with glee, but it won't do you much good if you live in a shoebox apartment, cramped dorm, or happen to own a couch. For all of its fun tricks, the Xbox's depth sensor is woefully farsighted, and doesn't play nice if you stand too close. What's a motion loving, spatiality challenged gamer to do? Well, we've heard of one option.

Nyko announced the Zoom for Kinect quite some time ago, making lofty promises of reducing the sensor's minimum required play distance by up to 40 percent. It performed notably well when we gave it a whirl at E3, but with Redmond's Kinect heavy Dashboard redesign just around the corner, we thought we'd give it a second look.

Continue reading Nyko Zoom for Kinect hands-on

Nyko Zoom for Kinect hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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