Sub-$1500 Kingmax 1TB SSD spotted in Japan

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/sub-1500-kingmax-1tb-ssd-spotted-in-japan/

Terabytes. We all want them -- especially if they're served solid-state. But if you're not quite ready to pony up for OCZ's Octane SSD 1TB model, you might want to take a trip to Japan. KingMax's SMU25 Client Pro 1TB SSD has been spotted for 119,000 yen (roughly $1,490), shaving a good chunk off the price of its OCZ rival, although there is a trade-off. The Kingmax drive doesn't quite catch up to the Octane performance-wise, with 250MB/s read speeds bested by 460MB/s on the pricier drive and 200 MB/s write speeds trumped by 330MB/s on OCZ's model. According to Bit-tech, there's no plans for the drive to leave the Land of the Rising Sun for US just yet, although the Taiwanese manufacturer is already doing business in other parts of Asia so you might just get lucky if you shop around. Its full spec list is housed at source below.

Sub-$1500 Kingmax 1TB SSD spotted in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 01:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech Alert 750n adds wide-angle night vision for improved indoor snooping, we go hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/logitech-alert-750n/

Unable to sleep soundly because of the lingering fear that someone's rummaging around your living room? Logitech's newest surveillance gizmo, the 750n Indoor Master System, should ease your worries, since it adds 130-degree night vision and illuminates whatever's lurking in the darkness at a distance of up to 50 feet. Like Logitech's older products, such as the Alert Master, the 750n records video at 960 x 720p, and it uses the same HomePlug adapter for installation. If you're already feeding your paranoia with a Logitech Alert Master, you can upgrade to the night-vision capabilities with the 700n Indoor Add-On Camera. The products cost $300 and $230, respectively, and will be available before the end of the month, but you can join us after the break for our impressions.

Gallery: Logitech Alert 750n hands-on

Continue reading Logitech Alert 750n adds wide-angle night vision for improved indoor snooping, we go hands-on

Logitech Alert 750n adds wide-angle night vision for improved indoor snooping, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ADATA ships its Premier and Premier Pro SSDs to US, gives your laptop a dose of energy

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/adata-ships-premier-and-premier-pro-ssds-to-us/

If you remember those Premier SP800 and Premier Pro SP900 solid-state drives that ADATA teased us with in February, you'll be glad to know that they've crossed the Pacific to reach the US and Canada. The two SSDs are meant to give a swift kick to the performance of laptops with regular-sized, 2.5-inch drive bays. Both use SandForce controllers, but are focused on very different areas: the Premier's SATA II interface, 280MB/s reads and 260MB/s writes suit it most to newcomers looking to escape the land of spinning hard drives, while the tangibly faster SATA III, 550MB/s reads and 520MB/s writes of the Premier Pro cater more to the speed junkie set. Tracking down the Premier's 32GB and 64GB flavors might be a challenge, based on our early checks, but we've already found the Premier Pro's 64GB, 128GB and 256GB varieties lurking on Newegg at pre-discount prices between $100 and $300.

Continue reading ADATA ships its Premier and Premier Pro SSDs to US, gives your laptop a dose of energy

ADATA ships its Premier and Premier Pro SSDs to US, gives your laptop a dose of energy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 05:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First signs of Google's new 'semantic search' spotted, put to good use

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/google-semantic-search/

So, Google wasn't merry-dancing when it promised to update its search engine with new "semantic" algorithms. One of our readers sent in the screen grab above, which shows what happens when they search for "Howard Carter." In addition to all the regular links, there's a box on the right that seems to be distinctly aware of who that poor fellow was (er, happy birthday old bean). We haven't been able to replicate these results, which probably means it's a limited roll-out at this time. Nevertheless, if we're right, then this archaeologist's name will have wormed its way through Mountain View's constantly updated knowledge database, which we're told can link facts together rather than just match keywords. Carter's cause of death? Hmm, clearly the system still as a few things to learn about mummies and curses.

[Thanks, Joseph]

First signs of Google's new 'semantic search' spotted, put to good use originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 05:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Micron teases working DDR4 RAM module, aims for late 2012 production

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/micron-teases-working-ddr4-ram-module/

JEDEC is still finalizing the standards for DDR4, but that doesn't mean component manufacturers are holding back on developing the tech now. Samsung announced the first DDR4 DRAM module last year, and now Micron has announced that it's developed a working part of its own. Using its 30-nanometer technology, the 4GB x8 part is just the first of many products in the company's DDR4 portfolio -- it will expand to include x16 and x32 parts with initial speeds of 2400 MT/s and eventually the JEDEC's targeted of 3200 MT/s. So when will DDR3 seem like a distant relic? Well, Micron is already sending around samples to clients, and it hopes to begin full-scale production by the end of the year. As always, jump past the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Micron teases working DDR4 RAM module, aims for late 2012 production

Micron teases working DDR4 RAM module, aims for late 2012 production originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 13:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GE Figures Out How to Squeeze 100W of Light from a 27W LED Bulb [Lighting]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5908379/ge-figures-out-how-to-squeeze-100w-of-light-from-a-27w-led-bulb

One drawback of LED lighting is that as the bulb's output wattage grows, so too does the chip cooling system. But GE's new Energy Smart bulb's ingenious cooling design packs a 100W of power at a quarter the energy requirements of a standard A19 incandescent.

To cram the necessary parts into the A19 shape, GE partnered with Nuventix to replace the conventional cooling fans with something they call a synthetic jet—essentially an oscillating membrane that helps dissipate the heat. In addition, the Energy Smart bulb emits at the 3000K color temperature and is rated at a 25,000-hour service life.

"Our innovation team has tackled a previously insurmountable technical challenge: cooling a 100-watt A-19 shaped replacement LED bulb without making it physically bigger," said Steve Briggs, general manager of LED systems, GE Lighting in a press release. "Each subsystem such as optics, electronics and thermals needed to be designed for miniaturization and cooperative performance. We explored the limits of what's possible and pushed far beyond industry expectations and competitors' thinking and product offerings."

GE engineers plan to further develop this technology to exceed the new 100W limit. For now, the Energy Smarts will hit store shelves by June of next year but no price has been set yet. You can expect them to be pricey, though. [GE Lighting]

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Lenovo swings out diminutive ThinkCentre M92p Tiny, bevy of all-in-ones and VoIP-ready ThinkVision display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/lenovo-thinkcentre-m92p-tiny-and-more/

Lenovo's going all-out on Ivy Bridge-based ThinkCentre pro desktop updates this evening, and the centerpiece is the smallest of the lot. The ThinkCentre M92p Tiny -- yes, it's officially nicknamed Tiny -- is about as thick as a golf ball at 1.4 inches and ready to tuck behind your display, but packs up to a third-generation Intel Core chip, vPro for IT control and your choice of spinning or solid-state hard drives. The M92p Tiny and a lower-end M72e should arrive in June, although what the respective $799 and $499 prices will get you are still mysteries.

There's no shortage if you prefer your desktops slightly more upsized. The all-in-one pack is topped by the 21.5-inch ThinkCentre Edge M92z, an uncommonly thin (2.5 inches) desktop using an IPS-based LCD with optional multi-touch that's due in July for $699. The 20- and 23-inch M92z AIO models start off at $799 for their June releases and pack up to 1TB of storage and dedicated AMD Radeon HD graphics, while a more modestly equipped, 20-inch M72z AIO will appear the same month for $599. And if you've just got to have a traditional box, Lenovo will gladly sell you the budget ThinkCentre Edge 72 ($439) or slightly uprated ThinkCentre M82 ($599). Everyone has the option of the 23-inch ThinkVision LT2323z display, which touts an IPS-based LCD and a webcam with Lync VoIP-certified, noise-cancelling microphones. The screen's p! rice has n't been set, but it does have a locked-in June release. You can delve into the full details of Lenovo's massive ThinkCentre revamp in the releases after the break.

Gallery: Lenovo ThinkCentre May 2012 updates

Continue reading Lenovo swings out diminutive ThinkCentre M92p Tiny, bevy of all-in-ones and VoIP-ready ThinkVision display

Lenovo swings out diminutive ThinkCentre M92p Tiny, bevy of all-in-ones and VoIP-ready ThinkVision display originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for u! se of fe eds.

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Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS packs 12-megapixel sensor, f/2.0 lens, ruggedized housing for $399

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/olympus-tough-tg-1/

Ruggedized cameras have always been delivered with some kind of compromise -- an inflated price tag, bulkier body or sub-par image quality. Now, much as the E-M5 did to tighten the gap among mirrorless cameras, Olympus is introducing a full-featured pro-worthy Tough model. The Tough TG-1 is effectively an XZ-1 in a ruggedized shell -- its 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor, 25-100mm, f/2.0-4.9 4x zoom lens and 3-inch 610k OLED display are all wrapped in a reinforced body, capable of flawless shooting at depths of 40 feet, in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) and after a 6.6-foot fall. With the TG-1, the company is aiming for the pro's gear bag, bringing features like 30 fps full-res rapid-fire shooting (for 50 consecutive shots, or 220 in a 3-megapixel 60 fps mode), the same TruPic VI image processor previously available only on current-gen PEN models and super-fast E-P3-like focusing speeds to an affordable, pocketable compact.

The TG-1 is also a capable video shooter, offering 1080/30p captures on land and under the sea, with Linear PCM audio recording and a powerful Multi-Motion Movie image stabilization feature. A shutter range from bulb to 1/2000 second boosts versatility, while tools like GPS, an e-compass and pressure-measuring manometer combine to provide data-rich pictures while also aiding in-camera tools, like a compass with 3D renders and a power-efficient GPS that helps to identify more than 700,000 landmarks around the gl! obe. It' s hardly approaching ILC territory, but the camera includes some lens accessory compatibility, with an available conversion adapter with fisheye and telephoto attachments that work (and can be swapped in and out) underwater. Double-locking battery and HDMI port doors will keep dust and water away from compartments, and a repellant coating helps fight water build-up on the lens -- there's 40.5mm filter compatibility as well. The Olympus Tough TG-1 is set to ship for $399 in mid-to-late June, and we're fairly certain it will be worth the wait. Full PR is just past the break.

Gallery: Olympus Tough TG-1

Continue reading Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS packs 12-megapixel sensor, f/2.0 lens, ruggedized housing for $399

Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS packs 12-megapixel sensor, f/2.0 lens, ruggedized housing for $399! origina lly appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twitpic for iPhone brings four years of image-sharing history, one year too late

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/twitpic-for-iphone/

Having become a staple for 35 million life-observing extroverts already, Twitpic has suddenly decided to launch itself into the world of iOS apps. You may justifiably question the point of yet another platform for sharing photos and videos over Twitter, given how well the official app, Instagram and others now handle such things. But then you'd be missing out on a community that has been steadily growing since even before mobile photography took off, and whose visual ramblings are actually much funnier and more amazing than even the brightest shots of the Dutch skyline.

Twitpic for iPhone brings four years of image-sharing history, one year too late originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with Kyocera Rise, an Android 4.0 smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/kyocera-rise-qwerty-slider/

Kyocera is looking to regain a foothold in the US smartphone market, and curiously enough, it's doing so by catering to niche audiences. First we saw the Hydro, a waterproof handset, and alongside it is the Rise, which features a sliding QWERTY keyboard. Both phones are built for CDMA networks, although Kyocera has yet to announce carrier availability for either.

Spec-wise, the Rise is very similar to the Hydro, and this extends to the OS. In our brief time with the phone, we were treated to a largely vanilla interpretation of Ice Cream Sandwich, which makes the Rise a bit of a rare breed in the QWERTY world -- hopefully its future carrier doesn't dictate huge alterations. The phone features a Qualcomm MSM8655 SoC with a 1GHz CPU, a 3.5-inch, 480 x 320 IPS LCD display, a 3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash and a 1,500 mAh battery. When compared to other QWERTY sliders, the handset itself is rather compact and fit nicely in our hand. We were similarly quite fond of the sliding mechanism on the Rise, which felt natural and provided just enough resistance. The four-row keyboard is altogether forgettable, but it should serve those who insist upon physical keys just fine. Our biggest gripe about the Rise, however, is its low-res display, which seems like quite a misstep -- even for a budget device.

In terms of storage, you'll find 512MB of RAM, 2GB built-in and a 2GB microSD card. The Rise also features 802.11n (WiFi), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and EV-DO Rev. A. It's safe to say that Kyocera is targeting budget audiences with the Rise, but the strateg! y may wo rk to its advantage if other carriers fail to keep their QWERTY sliders up-to-date with the latest version of Android. You'll find our hands-on video after the break.

Terrence O'Brien contributed to this report

Gallery: Kyocera Rise hands-on

Continue reading Hands-on with Kyocera Rise, an Android 4.0 smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard (video)

Hands-on with Kyocera Rise, an Android 4.0 smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo launches four Android-powered K-series Smart TVs in China this month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/lenovo-smart-tv/

We first saw Lenovo's Android 4.0 tellymabob back at CES, now the firm is getting ready to unleash the full K-series of Smart TVs on China. Four models are on offer, the 55-inch K91 and K81 models, along with a 42-inch version of the latter and another at this size -- the K71. You may remember that Ice Cream Sandwich is running on a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon CPU and Lenovo claims the interface is a mix of touch, air mouse, gravity sensor, smart keyboard and conventional remote -- lots more to lose down the back of the couch, then. The firm's joint venture with SMG's BesTV -- iSmartv -- will provide on demand HD content, and its "Le Store" developer community will serve up the apps -- with over 1,000 claimed to be available already. Prices will range from 6,499 RMB to 14,999 RMB (about $1030 to $2370) and should be in stores across China this month.

Lenovo launches four Android-powered K-series Smart TVs in China this month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin Mobile USA and Boost take WiMAX live, ship HTC EVO V 4G and EVO Design 4G on May 31

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/virgin-mobile-usa-and-boost-take-wimax-live/

In sync with Sprint's plans to get its sub-brands on 4G using its legacy WiMAX network, both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile have trotted out their initial 4G lineups. The early Virgin mix includes retreads of two Sprint data-only devices -- a Broadband2Go-badged version of the Sierra Wireless Overdrive Pro 3G/4G hotspot and a matching version of the Franklin U600 previously seen at Clear. Virgin's real star, however, is the HTC EVO V 4G: though it's ultimately the EVO 3D with a slightly more 2D name, it's shipping with Android 4.0 from the start and has HTC's Frankenstein-like Sense 3.6 rather than the 4.0 of the One series. The network upgrade and all three new devices swing into action on May 31, and while your $35 minimum monthly plan will stay in effect even with unlimited on-device 4G, you'll need to spend $300 (contract-free) to take home an EVO V 4G, $150 on the Overdrive Pro or $100 on the U600 stick.

Boost Mobile is also going the Sprint rebadge route through the HTC EVO Design 4G. As with its bigger brother over at Virgin, the single-core EVO Design 4G is identical in hardware to its Sprint equivalent but slaps Android 4.0 and Sense 3.6 on top to keep the software fresh! . The up date does mark the first time a Boost phone gets Visual Voicemail, so you can feel slightly less guilty when you miss a call. HTC's phone will oddly cost the same $300 off-contract as the more advanced EVO V 4G, although Boost is likely counting on customers sticking around long enough for an all-inclusive unlimited plan to drop to $40 per month and make it worthwhile.

Gallery: Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile 4G devices

Continue reading Virgin Mobile USA and Boost take WiMAX live, ship HTC EVO V 4G and EVO Design 4G on May 31

Virgin Mobile USA and Boost take WiMAX live, ship HTC EVO V 4G and EVO Design 4G on May 31 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 10:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trip the light fantastic with Acer's 11.6-inch Aspire One 725 Netbook

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/acer-aspire-one-725-11-inch-netbook/

Ivy Bridge might be the belle of the ball in laptop-land, but small and nimble will always be on the dance card, too. Despite its petite 11.6-inch 1366x768 screen and 2.6-pound frame, Acer's newly announced Aspire One 725 can still pirouette with a dual-core C-60 AMD processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Radeon HD 6290 graphics, and choice of two colors. Along with the 320 or 500GB hard drives and HD output, those specs should allow you to edit the odd video while still doing the emailing and surfing it was made for. Acer's confirmed the unit will land in Europe in July for 359 euros, but stateside dates and price are still unknown. It's not as flashy as those ingénues, but it should be a cheap, light date.

Trip the light fantastic with Acer's 11.6-inch Aspire One 725 Netbook originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 11:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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