Sunday, January 29, 2012

Apple Puts New Engineers On Fake Products Until It Can Trust Them (AAPL)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-puts-new-engineers-on-fake-products-until-it-can-trust-them-2012-1


Apple is so obsessed with secrecy, it sometimes puts new hires on fake products until they can be trusted.

Adam Lashinsky reported this tidbit in his new book "Inside Apple," and a former Apple employee confirmed it when Lashinsky spoke at LinkedIn the other day.

Here's what the engineer said:

A friend of mine who's a senior engineer at Apple, he works on -- or did work on -- fake products I'm sure for the first part of his career, and interviewed for 9 months. It's intense.

The employee also believes that Tim Cook has the charisma to be president. Not the president of Apple -- the president of the United States.

The exchange was captured on video by Fortune's Philip Elmer DeWitt, and pointed out by Jim Romenesko earlier today. 

Here it is:

Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:



Read More...

NVIDIA dresses up CUDA parallel computing platform

Source: http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-nvidia-cuda-parallel-platform.html

(PhysOrg.com) -- This week’s NVIDIA announcement of a dressed up version of its CUDA parallel computing platform is targeted as a good news message for engineers, biologists, chemists, physicists, geophysicists, and other researchers on fast-track computations using GPUs. The new version features an LLVM (low-level virtual machine)-based CUDA compiler, new imaging and signal processing functions added to the NVIDIA Performance Primitives library and a redesigned Visual Profiler with automated performance analysis and expert guidance. NVIDIA says the new enhancements are ways to advance simulations and computational work for these users.

Read More...

Instant Smoke Drops Add a Little Magic To Your Photographs [Photography]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5880173/instant-smoke-drops-add-a-little-magic-to-your-photographs

Instant Smoke Drops Add a Little Magic To Your PhotographsUnless you're a master at 3D and compositing, digitally adding smoke to a photo is a lot harder than adding it practically while you're shooting. And with these instant smoke drops, you can easily create plumes without burning your studio down.

The drops actually come in two separate bottles of unnamed chemicals that when combined produce a bonafide smoke effect—without ever having to start a fire. The smoke keeps billowing for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, and just how much is produced is dependent on how many drops, or squirts, you use.

While the instant smoke can obviously be used for adding magical effects to your photos, on a more practical level it's perfect for creating steam coming off of food that's supposed to be piping hot. And if you need some more inspiration to justify their $49 price tag, just check out what Amar Ramesh is doing with smoke in his shots. [Photojojo via The Fancy]

Read More...

At Just $40, the Price Is Right For Tenqa's Bluetooth Headphones [Headphones]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5880152/at-just-40-the-price-is-right-for-tenqas-bluetooth-headphones

At Just $40, the Price Is Right For Tenqa's Bluetooth HeadphonesI haven't had a chance to test Tenqa's new REMXD Bluetooth headphones, so I have no idea what they sound like. But at just $40 they're some of the cheapest wireless headphones you can buy, and might be worth a try.

They of course support an A2DP connection to a Bluetooth capable audio device, and promise up to 15 hours of listening time on a single charge, facilitated by a miniUSB port. A built-in mic also means you can make and take calls when using it with a smartphone, while a stereo mini jack allows you to plug in a headphone cable so the REMXD can still be used when the battery is dead.

The feature set is, not surprisingly, pretty basic, as is the choice of colors—black or white—but even if they only sound 'just ok' they seem like a real bargain when they go on sale next month. [Tenqa via Android Community]

Read More...

Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cupholder (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/insert-coin-dash-car-stereo-video/

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

We're pretty fond of new ways to integrate smartphones with car stereos here at Engadget, which is why we're particularly intrigued by a new Kickstarter project called Dash. Unlike MirrorLink, which reflects a phone's interface onto a larger touchscreen, this nifty creation puts the smartphone front and center in the stereo itself. While the Dash will initially support only the iPhone 4 / 4S and iPod Touch -- which connects via the dock connector -- the company seems ambitious to target other platforms in the future.

The Dash comes in two parts, the double-DIN stereo itself, along with a detachable aluminum faceplate that's held to the main unit with neodymium magnets. The only interface element is a volume knob, as every other interaction is performed on the iPhone's 3.5-inch display -- just promise to keep your eyes on the road when you sort through your tunes. The stereo contains four 50W channels and two 2V preamps. The Dash is currently projected to ship in July for $300, but a $250 donation serves as a discounted preorder right now. It'll be available in a variety of colors, which you can peep in the gallery below, and be sure to check out the project's video after the break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cupholder (video)

Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cupholder (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink OhGizmo!  |  sourceKickstarter, Devium  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express SATA 3.0 SSDs doubles your (MacBook) Airspeed velocity

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/owc-mercury-aura-pro-express-sata-3-0-ssds-doubles-your-macbook/

It's MacWorld, which means those providers of Apple gear are busting out wares for aftermarket insertion into your objects of desire. Other World Computing's latest offering is a slender solid-state drive ready to be crow-barred into last year's MacBook Airs. The bombastically named OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD is a SATA Rev. 3.0 drive with a promised 6Gb/s data speed at sizes of up to a staggering 480GB. Since the stock drives are limited to the 3Gb/s SATA Rev. 2.0 (but the controllers run 3.0), you should find a significant performance bump when swapping in the new unit. The toggle-synchronous NAND drives come in a variety of sizes, starting at 120GB ($260), but it's the brand new and quite beastly 480GB model that has us excited. Sure, $1,150 is a lot to ask for less than half a terrabyte of storage, but you'll get a three-year warranty for all that cash. We may never give you our money, nor our funny pages, but you can have the press release that's after the break.

Continue reading OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express SATA 3.0 SSDs doubles your (MacBook) Airspeed velocity

OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express SATA 3.0 SSDs doubles your (MacBook) Airspeed velocity originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

!
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Microsoft reportedly working on Kinect-enabled laptops

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/microsoft-reportedly-working-on-kinect-enabled-laptops/

It remains to be seen when or if they'll turn into actual products, but The Daily reports that Microsoft is at least working on getting its Kinect technology shoved into laptops. While details are light, the iPad-based publication says that it's seen a pair of prototypes that "appear to be Asus netbooks running Windows 8," but which have had their webcams replaced with an array of sensors that run along the top of the screen (a set of LEDs are said to be at the bottom). The Daily also says that it's confirmed with a source at Microsoft that the devices are indeed official prototypes of a Kinect-enabled laptop, and it unsurprisingly suggests that Microsoft would likely license the technology to laptop manufacturers rather than build its own hardware.

Microsoft reportedly working on Kinect-enabled laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceThe Daily  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Did the Galaxy S III just pop up on Samsung's support site?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/did-the-galaxy-s-iii-just-pop-up-on-samsungs-support-site/

GT-i9300
Seriously, we can't caveat this one enough -- there is no way of knowing if this is in fact the Galaxy S III or, if it is, when it might come to market -- but, it looks like Samsung's "next big smartphone" just made a cameo on the company's support pages. Listed as the GT-i9300, the mystery device reared its head over at the Global Download Center of the United Arab Emerites site. If Sammy is to keep with its naming scheme i93XX would be a flagship device -- the i90XX line was the Galaxy S, i91XX represents the S2 series, while the i9250 and i9220 are the Nexus and Note respectively. As we warned before though, this could be some mid-range device and Samsung could be changing its naming conventions. Or, perhaps, its yet another variation of an existing model. Still, we'll take this as a good sign that Seoul squad has something interesting brewing.

Did the Galaxy S III just pop up on Samsung's support site? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePocketNow  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

F-BOMB $50 surveillance computer hides in your CO detector, cracks your WiFi

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/f-bomb-50-surveilance-computer-hides-in-your-co-detector-crack/

F-BOMB $50 surveilance computer hides in your CO detector, cracks your WiFi
What happens when you take a PogoPlug, add 8GB of flash storage, some radios (WiFi, GPS) and perhaps a few sensors, then stuff everything in a 3D-printed box? You get the F-BOMB (Falling or Ballistically-launched Object that Makes Backdoors), a battery-powered surveillance computer that costs less than $50 to put together using off-the-shelf parts. The 4 x 3.5 x 1-inch device, created by security researcher Brendan O'Connor and funded by DARPA's Cyber Fast Track program, is cheap enough for single-use scenarios where costly traditional hardware is impractical. It can be dropped from an AR Drone, tossed over a fence, plugged into a wall socket or even hidden inside a CO detector. Once in place, the homebrew Linux-based system can be used to gather data and hop onto wireless networks using WiFi-cracking software. Sneaky. Paranoid yet? Click on the source link below for more info.

F-BOMB $50 surveillance computer hides in your CO detector, cracks your WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceForbes  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

HP Envy 15 review (early 2012)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/hp-envy-15-review-early-2012/

If there's one thing we took away from our jaunt at CES, it's this: consumers' appetites for mainstream laptops haven't waned all that much. Even in the Ultrabook category, Intel expects half of the models to go on sale this year will have 14- and 15-inch screens -- as strong an indicator as any that lots of folks aren't yet ready to give up their slightly larger screens, their discrete graphics, their (gasp!) optical drives. While HP recently announced its first Ultrabook for the consumer market, the Envy 14 Spectre, it's fully fleshed out its premium Envy series to include two additional models for people who crave more oomph.

The Envy 15 is the medium-sized member of the crew, with ! a 15.6-i nch screen and the same overhauled design you'll find across the Envy lineup. Delightfully, too, it marks the return of HP's eye-popping Radiance display, and also comes with a generous two-year warranty and full copies of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements. And with a starting price of $1,100, it sharply undercuts the 15-inch MacBook Pro, while taking direct aim at other high-end 15-inchers, like the Dell XPS 15z and Samsung Series 7 Chronos. So how does it stack up? Meet us after the break to find out.

Continue reading HP Envy 15 review (early 2012)

HP Envy 15 review (early 2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Forrester: Apple makes strides into enterprises, users iWork hard for the money

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/forrester-apple-makes-strides-into-businesses-users-iwork-hard/

Forrester: Apple makes strides into businesses, users iWork hard for the money

Forrester has announced the results of its latest survey, which encompassed 10,000 enterprise computer users, across 17 countries. It looked at the degree of Apple product adoption in businesses and support for them within IT services. There's plenty to chew on, but here's the big one; over a fifth of those surveyed uses an Apple product for work. This, however, includes workers using their personal devices for work tasks, with 11 percent using their iPhone, 9 percent their iPad and 8 percent working on their Macs. Half of the enterprises included in Forrester's survey plan to increase the number of Macs used by 52 percent, while nearly half of the firms are already issuing Apple PCs to employees, gaining even more traction within IT departments in the US and Western Europe. Unsurprisingly, given its premium pricing, those using Apple gear are more likely to be higher paid, while also (paradoxically) younger and in a senior rank. More specifically, 43 percent of those making over $150,000 a year use an iPhone, iPad or Mac. No cause or effect here, ladies and gents, but we'll be putting in our expense claim for a new set of business iPads very soon.

Forrester: Apple makes strides into enterprises, users iWork hard for the money originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceForrester  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Mozilla to overhaul Firefox's default home and tab pages

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/mozilla-to-overhaul-firefoxs-default-home-and-tab-pages/

Despite Mozilla kicking its release schedule into overdrive, not all parts of Firefox have gotten the tender love and care they truly deserve. Take for example, the browser's default homepage, which hasn't evolved much since its humble beginnings nearly a decade ago. That'll change soon in a two pronged effort, with Mozilla first adding a function bar to version 12 (seen after the break), followed by a later and more extensive revamp (up-top) which incorporates apps, top sites and chat functionality. Also planned is a Chrome and Safari-esque Top Sites "New Tab" view and savvy URL autocompletion in the address bar. A more in-depth preview awaits at the source, or we suppose, you could live dangerously and hop aboard Mozilla's nightly release train. You decide.

Continue reading Mozilla to overhaul Firefox's default home and tab pages

Mozilla to overhaul Firefox's default home and tab pages originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our term s for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceExtremeTech  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

MOTU sneaks in MicroBook II post-NAMM, ships this Spring for $269

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/motu-microbook-ii-ships-this-spring/

MOTU sneaks in MicroBook II post-NAMM, shipping this Spring for $269
Looking to add some muscle to your mobile recording kit? MOTU waited to pull the curtain back on the MicroBook II until after NAMM, revealing a revamped portable audio interface for those who fancy tracking on-the-go. The studio-quality kit plays nice with both Mac and PC, offering a compact 4-input / 6-output, bus-powered recording option with 96kHz recording and playback support. Sporting inputs for mics (XLR), guitar, keyboard and powered speakers, the MicroBook II connects to your computer of choice via USB 2.0 and boasts on-board volume controls. All four inputs can be recorded simultaneously while internal CueMix tech allows for a unique stereo mix for each output pair. Speaking of outputs, the diminutive box houses six of said channels alongside TRS 1/4-inch, stereo mini, S/PDIF, and 1/4-inch headphone offerings. You'll have to wait until Spring to snag one, but for now hit the PR after the break for a full list of specs.

Continue reading MOTU sneaks in MicroBook II post-NAMM, ships this Spring for $269

MOTU sneaks in MicroBook II post-NAMM, ships this Spring for $269 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Lenovo's 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p launches with Radeon HD 7690M GPU

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/29/lenovo-ideapad-y470p-laptop-radeon-hd-7690m-gpu/

Who knew a "p" packed so much punch? Just weeks after Lenovo cut loose with a boatload of new machines, the outfit has quietly slipped out an even newer model tailored for gamers. The 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p looks just about like the existing Y470, but swaps out the middling NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M for a far more potent Radeon HD 7690M. (For those wondering -- yep, that's the same chip in HP's new Envy 15.) There's also a 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, an optional 1TB HDD, JBL speakers and a native 1,366 x 768 screen resolution. The unit tips the scales at 4.85 pounds with a six-cell battery, which is supposedly good for up to four hours of usage (in presumably ideal conditions). Other specs include a Blu-ray Disc drive, a two-megapixel webcam, HDMI out and USB 3.0. For now, at least, it looks as if eager beavers can get one headed their way for as low as $799, but the more specced-out models are reaching well over $1,200.

Continue reading Lenovo's 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p launches with Radeon HD 7690M GPU

Lenovo's 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p launches with Radeon HD 7690M GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista, The Verge  |  sourceLenovo  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Friday, January 27, 2012

Google Earth Gets a Seamless Upgrade [Google]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5879781/google-earth-gets-a-seamless-upgrade

One drawback from Google Earth has always been that if you pull the view back far enough, the terrain begins to look like a scene from Minecraft. Well, no longer! With the version 6.2 update, Google Earth looks even more like the real thing.

Google Earth's imagery is built from an amalagamation of satellite and aerial shots taken under various conditions and stitched together. This results in the "patchy" long-range view. With version 6.2, Google has introduced a new smoothing algorithm that will normalize the various individual pictures and eliminate the seams. In additon, Google Earth now features a drop-down menu that allows you to share your armchair adventures with people in your Google+ circles. [Google Blog via Electronista]

Read More...