Hands-on with G-Technology's Mac-friendly, USB 3.0-packing G-Drive slim

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/g-technology-g-drive-slim-hands-on/

When we set out to get hands-on with a hard drive, of all things, you can bet we're going to do more than just pick it up and marvel at how lightweight it is. Here at a gdgt event in New York City, we spotted G-Technology's new Mac-friendly USB 3.0 drives on display and immediately got to work running some speed tests on the thinnest of the bunch, the G-Drive slim. Though transfer rates varied, both download and upload speeds tended to hover around 95 MB/s, and that was after ten or so runs in the Blackmagic benchmark. (Next time we'll bring a USB 2.0 cable to test a backward-compatible setup.)

According to a company rep staffing the event, the other drives in the lineup, the G-Drive mini, mobile and mobile USB 3.0, should deliver similar performance. Really, the differences here are in the specs: the G-Drive mobile and mini have FireWire ports, and all three offer more storage (750GB to 1TB, as opposed to 500GB for the slim). Design-wise, all the drives on display here seemed fairly impervious to scratches, and that rubberized band around the edges also makes the devices feel a little less delicate. On that point, you can check out the hands-on photos to see what we're talking about, though you'll just have to take our word on the speed testing.

Gallery: G-Technology USB 3.0 G-Drive Slim hands-on

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Hands-on with G-Technology's Mac-friendly, USB 3.0-packing G-Drive slim originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google: Chromebooks now serve web-happy students in over 500 European, US school districts

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/google-chromebooks-now-serve-web-happy-students-in-over-500-schools/

Whatever you think of the latest round of Chromebooks, school districts have clearly latched on to existing models. Over 500 school districts across Europe and the US are currently deploying the Google-powered laptops for learning the web way. Specialized web app packs and that rare leasing model are already keeping the material relevant and the hardware evergreen, but new certification for US ready-for-college criteria will go a long way towards making sure principals everywhere take a shine to Chrome OS in the future. That still leaves a lot of schools going the more traditional Mac or Windows PC route, with the occasional tablet strategy thrown in; regardless, we're sure Google doesn't mind taking any noticeable chunk of the market in a relatively brief period of time. We'll see if there's more reasons for Mountain View to get excited in a few days.

Google: Chromebooks now serve web-happy students in over 500 European, US school districts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 19:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bing Maps gets another 165TB of satellite images, Google Earth seen sulking in a corner

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/bing-maps-gets-another-165tb-of-satellite-images-google-earth-g/

Thought that Google had cornered the market on free, overhead-view photo mapping solutions? You clearly don't reside in Redmond, because Bing Maps' aerial image library just got another 165TB worth of hi-res data that covers an additional 38 million square kilometers of the globe. To put that in perspective, Microsoft's mapping solution previously had but 129TB worth of such eye-in-the-sky imagery, so this new batch of satellite shots more than doubles your viewing pleasure. Go ahead, check out all the new visuals at the source link below, we promise not to tell the folks in Mountain View.

Bing Maps gets another 165TB of satellite images, Google Earth seen sulking in a corner originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Custom PC desk / case combo ditches glass, metal for wood

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/26/desk-case-pc-mod-ditches-glass-metal-for-wood/

Desk case PC mods have lit up our radar before, but a modder by the name of Pirate -- who's no stranger to us -- has dropped the typical glass and metal enclosure for medium-density fiberboard. Though the material choice was an effort to avoid buying a new desk, it created a need for a robust cooling system. Five fans (three exhaust, two intake), a radiator and a liquid-cooling system keep the rig at roughly 88 F (31 C) with ambient temperatures hovering around 79 F (26 C). As for horsepower, the workstation features a Core-i5-2000k processor and a Radeon HD 7950 graphics card sporting a water cooling block on an Asus Gene IV microATX motherboard. Visuals are piped to three displays in an Eyefinity configuration that are held by a modded ergonomic stand. Pictures of the build process in excruciating detail await you at the source.

Custom PC desk / case combo ditches glass, metal for wood originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 02:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wolfson confirms the Samsung Galaxy S III uses its audio chip

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/26/wolfson-samsung-galaxy-s-iii/

The Galaxy S III was widely tipped to possess a Wolfson digital-to-analog converter for high quality audio output -- a feature not seen in this range since the first Galaxy S. That notion has just been confirmed by the Scottish electronics firm itself, which says its WM1811 Audio Hub has been selected for use in Sammy's flagship. The chip promises "crystal clear voice call quality" and "enriched audio playback for music and video" thanks to its 24-bit hi-fi DAC, active noise reduction circuits and other wizardry. The GS II, meanwhile, used a Yamaha DAC to convert digital data (e.g. in an mp3 file) into an analog signal that could drive a speaker (for example in your headphones), but even if most people couldn't hear the difference, audiophiles have insisted they preferred the sound in the older Galaxy. The only question remaining, which the PR after the break does not expand upon, is whether the Wolfson hardware is found in all variants of the new phone. Check out the More Coverage links for further reading.

Continue reading Wolfson confirms the Samsung Galaxy S III uses its audio chip

Wolfson confirms the Samsung Galaxy S III uses its audio chip originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook Just Changed Your Default Email Address Without Telling You (FB)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-changes-users-primary-email-addresses-2012-6

Way back in 2010 Facebook relaunched its Messages feature to include @facebook.com email addresses for all users. The service never really took off as an email replacement, but it's still there.

Today, Facebook has changed users primary email addresses listed in their profiles from the ones they selected to @facebook.com emails, as Gizmodo points out. 

Here's what it looks like now: 

Luckily, it's pretty easy to fix.

To change your email back do this:

1. Head to Account Settings by clicking the arrow in the top right hand corner.
2. You'll see your Primary email address. Click Edit to change it.
3. Select the email you originally had or choose a new one.

Don't Miss: Here Is How To Turn Off Facebook's Creepy New Find Friends Nearby Feature 

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Meizu MX 4-core and Flyme OS 1.0 formally announced, available on June 30th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/meizu-mx-4-core-and-flyme-hands-on/

Forget that "MX Quad-core" moniker, because Meizu's just formally introduced its first quad core Android phone as the "MX 4-core" in Hong Kong event jam-packed with balloons and local celebrities (we really should've brought our sunglasses). For those who care, this is the first time ever for Meizu to collaborate with a carrier -- that being Hong Kong's PCCW, who's offering the HK$3,099 (US$400) 32GB model for free on various tariffs, while details are light on the HK$4,099 (US$530) 64GB version. Once the stage cleared we had a chance to take a closer look at the international variant of the MX 4-core. Aside from the disappearance of the Chinese logo above the screen plus the duller logo on the back (but accompanied by an extra capacity label), the 4-inch HSPA+ phone looks identical to its dual-core sibling. Additionally, Hong Kong and mainland China customers who pre-order between now and the launch on June 30th will get to pick a colored back crystal shell for free, including ivory white, milky lime, lilac purple and misty pink to replace the original white.

Software-wise Flyme -- Meizu's heavily customized Ice Cream Sandwich -- is also very similar to its Gingerbread predecessor, except for its slicker responsiveness (especially the camera app) and the odd interface tweaks here and there. There are also a few new features that are worth a mention: on top of the new native stopwatch, countdown timer and multi-segmented timed task lists, there's Flyme Voicemail which is essentially a native recorder for incoming calls that you reject (think of it as a neat alternative t! o conven tional visual voicemail), and there's Flyme Message which is Meizu's take on SIP services like Whatsapp and Line. We shall dig deeper in our full review, but for now, you can check out a quick hands-on video after the break. And for those who still possess Meizu's older Android phones, we were told to expect Flyme to be delivered over the air in early July (as opposed to the original June date), so keep an eye out for that little update icon.

Update: We mentioned in our video that the China version of the MX 4-core doesn't come with the Play Store, but it turns out that we were mistaken. Hooray!

Update 2: By the way, it's pronounced "fly-me."

Gallery: Meizu MX 4-core hands-on

Continue reading Meizu MX 4-core and Flyme OS 1.0 form! ally ann ounced, available on June 30th

Meizu MX 4-core and Flyme OS 1.0 formally announced, available on June 30th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 09:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony, Panasonic OLED partnership is official, aims for mass production in 2013

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/sony-panasonic-oled-partnership-is-official-aims-for-mass-prod/

The rumor that Japanese electronic giants Panasonic and Sony would team up on OLED HDTV technology has been confirmed by a press release (included after the break), and the two plan to establish mass production in 2013. Together, they'll be able to utilize the core and printing techniques that each has so far developed separately to roll out HDTV-sized OLED panels. Still, while they will be BFFs behind the scenes don't expect any crazy cross-branding of releases, as the release notes each company plans to "develop and commercialize its own competitive, high-performance, next-generation OLED televisions and large-sized displays." Can this combination help them catch up to Korean counterparts Samsung and LG? Those two will individually put super-skinny, ultra high contrast ratio OLED HDTVs on store shelves this year, but if Panasonic / Sony can get prices down from the $10k~ range then we're sure most consumers will be able to overlook their tardiness to market.

Continue reading Sony, Panasonic OLED partnership is official, aims for mass production in 2013

Sony, Panasonic OLED partnership is offici! al, aims for mass production in 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 02:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asus Transformer Pad Infinity shows up at Best Buy, commands $600 price tag, 64GB of storage

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-shows-up-at-best-buy-commands-60/

You didn't think ASUS pushed its souped up Transformer slate though federal approval for its health, did you? No, if Best Buy's online store has anything to say about it, the Transformer Pad Infinity's FCC excursion was preparing it for sale. It's not quite ready yet, but when it is, Best Buy will apparently be handing the slab out for $599 and change, netting buyers 64GB of storage, NVIDIA's Tegra 3 processor and a 1,920 x 1,200 10.1-inch Super IPS+ display. The listing appears to be for the WiFi-only version of the tablet, with no mention of the Snapdragon S4-equipped LTE variant that ASUS announced earlier this year. According to the product page, the unreleased hardware is currently "sold out online," but at least you know how many pennies you'll need to pinch. Check it out at the source link below.

[Thanks, Uly]

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity shows up at Best Buy, commands $600 price tag, 64GB of storage originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung pegs LTE Galaxy S III for South Korea in July, quad-core quite possibly intact

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/samsung-pegs-lte-galaxy-s-iii-for-south-korea-in-july-with-possible-quad-core/

Remember that dream version of the Galaxy S III that melded the Exynos 4 Quad, LTE-based 4G and 2GB of RAM all in one ultimate device? It now looks much closer to reality. Just as the 3G version is landing on the country's shores through SK Telecom, Samsung is sending word that the Korean LTE version is due in early July -- and Chosun claims it should have the best of all worlds in terms of performance. There should even be DMB TV tuning and a 500-title Video Hub for local movie lovers. We're anxious about just what that combination could do to battery life and the price, neither of which were mentioned up front. There may be good reasons why the US versions run on the dual-core Snapdragon S4, after all. Still, if the Korean LTE version doesn't have to make any sacrifices and is just a few weeks away from stores, it'll be hard not to turn a deep shade of green watching our friends in Seoul get what could easily be the better deal.

Samsung pegs LTE Galaxy S III for South Korea in July, quad-core quite possibly intact originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Google World Wonders Project Shows You the World from Street Level [Video]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5920461/the-google-world-wonders-project-shows-you-the-world-from-street-level

Some of the world's most beautiful and historic places are in some of the most difficult to visit locations. If globetrekking isn't in your budget, take a desktop vacation instead with the Google World Wonders Project and view beautiful places like the Toshodai-ji Temple in Japan, the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew in the UK, or the old town of Ouro Preto in Brazil.

The World Wonders Project uses Google's Street View technology to take you on virtual tours of some of the world's most historically significant places. With destinations in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, you can browse areas of interest by selecting a continent or a theme from the menus at the top of the page, by clicking through the photo carousel in the center, or even by clicking and dragging the globe at the bottom until you see something you like. Then, just click "explore this site now" to take a Street View-powered walking tour.

The links on the right side of the page will give you more information about the location, related videos and other walkthroughs, and even photos and 3D models of the location so you can see more detail. It's definitely not as good as going and experiencing some of these beautiful places on your own, but if you're stuck at your desk, it may be the next best thing. Best of all, if you have a Panoramio account, you can even contribute some of your own photos, if you ever do visit.

Hit the link below to give it a try, and check out this related video for a fun behind the scenes look at how all of these images were captured. Have you been to any of these places yourself, or did we inspire you to pack your bags? Let us know where you've been in the comments below.

Google World Wonders Project | via Tekzilla Daily

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The Corsair Hydro Series Keeps Your PC Cool and Silent with Maintenance-Free Water Cooling [Video]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5920525/the-corsair-hydro-series-keeps-your-pc-cool-and-silent-with-maintenance+free-water-cooling

Water cooling is a great way to keep your computer super cool and super quiet, but it can cost a lot of money. Corsair's Hydro series makes water cooling easy with inexpensive, maintenance-free units that take just a few minutes to install.

Water cooling is great, but it takes a ton of upkeep, costs hundreds of dollars, and comes with a risk of drowning your computer if you make a mistake (yeesh!). Corsair's Hydro series—made up of the H100, H80, H70, H60, and H40—makes water cooling simple. Just install the water block like you would any other cooler, and install the radiator on the top of your case (if you have the 120x240mm H100) or the back exhaust fan (if you have the 120x120mm smaller models). The fans will keep the radiator cool as the water pumps through it, giving you a quieter computer with lower CPU temperatures.

You'll still have to compromise a bit on noise, since you are still using fans, and Corsair's stock fans are quite loud. You can swap them out for something quieter, but the H100 and H80 also come with a handy feature that lets you run the fans on "low", "medium", or "high" speeds, which you can adjust depending on your needs. If you're looking for a silent system, go with the lower, quieter setting; if you're overclocking and gaming, go with the higher, louder setting. Alternatively, you can do what I do and get an external fan controller and use that to control the cooler's fans instead. That way, you can have it quiet when you're just browsing the web, and louder when you need the performance boost.

I've been using the H100 for about a week now, and my experience has been very good. My temperatures are a bit lower, though probably not enough to overclock my system any further (obviously, your mileage may vary depending on the CPU you're using, your case, and the cooling system you're currently using). The main benefit I'm seeing is in the realm of noise—coupled with the H100's fan controller (or an external one), you can decrease the noise in your system quite a bit. If you're sick of your computer sounding like a wind tunnel, or if you just want some extra overclocking headroom, check out the H100 or one of its smaller cousins. See the video above for a look at the hardware, or hit the link below to check out the specs on Corsair's web site. The H100 runs for about $100 on Amazon, while the other models cost less as you go down the chain.

Corsair Hydro Series CPU Coolers

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Phase change memory breakthrough could lead to gigahertz-plus data transfers, make SSDs seem pokey

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/23/phase-change-memory-breakthrough-could-lead-to-gigahertz-plus-data/

Often considered the eventual successor to flash, phase change memory has had a tough time getting to the point where it would truly take over; when it takes longer to write data than conventional RAM, there's clearly a roadblock. The University of Cambridge has the potential cure through a constant-power trick that primes the needed hybrid of germanium, antimony and tellurium so that it crystalizes much faster, committing data to memory at an equally speedy rate. Sending a steady, weak electric field through the substance lets a write operation go through in just 500 picoseconds; that's 10 times faster than an earlier development without the antimony or continuous power. Researchers think it could lead to permanent storage that runs at refresh rates of a gigahertz or more. In other words, the kinds of responsiveness that would make solid-state drives break out in a sweat. Any practical use is still some distance off, although avid phase change memory producers like Micron are no doubt champing at the bit for any upgrade they can get.

Phase change memory breakthrough could lead to gigahertz-plus data transfers, make SSDs seem pokey originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Jun 2012 12:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Marc Jacobs Laptop Case Will Keep You From Looking Like Such a Slob, You Slob [Daily Desired]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5920677/this-marc-jacobs-laptop-case-will-keep-you-from-looking-like-such-a-slob-you-slob

You've got your new retina display MacBook Pro? Great. Time to grow up and get a laptop bag that's worthy of it.

I'm crushing on this tropical orange 15-inch nylon case from Marc by Marc Jacobs. I carry a Jansport backpack to work every day and I think it actually makes me look about four years younger than I really am. Oh you know, just headed to the quad to study for my bio final. And by the way do you think your older sister could help get me a fake ID? NO. Hey, I don't want to accelerate the aging process but I've come to the conclusion that I need a more tailored-looking tote. This one has a delicious Fanta-like color, it's not going to kill my back, and at $128, it won't put a serious dent in my wallet. All in the name of professionalism. [Geek Sugar]

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Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i delivers scans to Android or iOS, spreads a little cloud love as well

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/22/fujitsu-scansnap-s1300i-delivers-scans-to-android-or-ios-devices/

Fujitsu's original ScanSnap S1300 earned a soft spot in our hearts -- no mean feat for a scanner -- so it's with piqued interest that we catch word of a direct upgrade. The S1300i is all about serving those of us who might never send scan results to a printer. Android and iOS aficionados now only have to send the results to a relevant mobile app, skipping the usual computer-to-phone shuffle. That stack of receipts can also go skip devices entirely and go straight to the cloud, whether it's Dropbox, Evernote, Google Docs, Salesforce Chatter or SugarSync. However that paper gets converted to digital, it'll be accomplished about 50 percent faster, or 12 double-sided, color pages every minute. All the extras lift the price price even higher, though: $295 is a lot to ask for a scanner. Even so, if that stack of bills is high enough to trigger an avalanche, it might be worth the premium to avoid being snowed in.

Continue reading Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i delivers scans to Android or iOS, spreads a little cloud love as well

Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i delivers scans to Android or iOS, spreads a little cloud love as well originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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