Spin Magazine Is Finally Dead, Long Live Spin Online

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5970548/spin-magazine-is-finally-dead-long-live-spin-online

Subscribers to Spin Magazine got a letter in the mail yesterday informing them that the print version of the magazine had ceased publication. We knew this was coming when the rag was put on hold over the summer, and now it will officially never be published again, we couldn't be happier to see Spin be relevant again.

The Daily Swarm reports that that Spin subscribers are receiving letter informed that the magazine was dead and that the rest of their subscription would be fullfilled with—wait for it—issues of Car and Driver. Ew. Car and Driver, really? Here's the letter:

Shortly after acquiring Spin over the summer, Buzzmedia did a round of layoffs and announced that there would be no November/December issue of Spin, while it figured out what the hell to do with the struggling property. But while the demise of Spin might have been sealed right then, Buzzmedia was downright cryptic about it.

Sad as we are to see the mainstream music monolith go the way of Newsweek and countless other magazines, this really is the best way for this type of information to be served. If music blogs have taught us anything it's that culture news and reviews should be read instantly when they're most relevant. General interest magazines like Spin and Rolling Stone just can't keep up with the speed and niche expertise of blogs.

For all its history, Spin spent the last decade one-step behind the story, and its voice was too general for anybody to really care. At the same time, Spin online has been getting constantly better—if you haven't, go check it out. [The Daily Swarm]

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HP EliteBook Folio 9470 review: a business Ultrabook turns out to be one of our favorites

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/21/hp-elitebook-folio-9470-review/

More Info

• HP unveils second business Ultrabook, the EliteBook Folio
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon review
• HP Folio 13 review

It's sort of wild to think that at this time last year we had only reviewed a handful of Ultrabooks. So few, in fact, that we could count them on one hand: Acer, ASUS, Lenovo and Toshiba. HP made five, with the Folio 13, an ultraportable that was aimed at the business market, but that ended up being our top all-around pick thanks to its stellar battery life, comfortable keyboard and wide port selection. Since then, of course, HP's gone a little overboard with the ultraportables, with glass ones, metal ones, expensive ones, budget ones. Ultrabooks that aren't actually Ultrabooks! It's a vast, sometimes confusing selection.

Now, though, almost a year after we reviewed the Folio 13, HP is back where it start! ed with another business offering. The EliteBook Folio ($1,049 and up) has a 14-inch screen this time, and is the first Ultrabook in HP's high-end EliteBook line, typically aimed at corporations and other businesses with IT departments. We know, we know: "pre-boot authentication" aren't exactly the sexiest words in the English language, and indeed, we usually just review laptops aimed at consumers. The thing is, though, the EliteBook Folio isn't your typical corporate box: with a magnesium frame and soft-touch finish, it's attractive enough that it could pass for your personal laptop. So does it perform well enough to use as a work-play machine? Read on to find out.

Gallery: HP EliteBook Folio 9470 review

Continue reading HP EliteBook Folio 9470 review: a business Ultrabook turns out to be one of our favorites

Filed under: Laptops, HP

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NimbleTV Lets You Stream Your Cable Anywhere Without a Box (In New York Only for Now)

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5970449/nimbletv-lets-you-stream-your-cable-anywhere-without-a--box-in-new-york-only-for-now

If you pay for cable or satellite you should be able to watch it anywhere on any device. You paid for it! That's already possible by using a Slingbox, but NimbleTV wants to let you do it without a box. Disruption.

Instead, the service records your pay TV for you remotely and then beams it to the web for your viewing pleasure—no hardware required. AllThingsD reports that the service goes to beta today and will add 250 users for starters. If all goes well the company hopes to open up the service to the public for a $20 subscription fee.

Those 250 trial slots are going to go to folks who've already signed up for information, which you should go ahead and do if you want to know when the service goes live. Expect some delays, though, if the cable/sat/tel-cos sue, which is very likely. As with Aereo, which provides a similar service for free TV, the whole "not-having-a-box" thing is legally fraught. [NimbleTV via AllThingsDigital]

Image via dean bertoncelj/Shutterstock

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Pi-to-Go: a Raspberry Pi, screen and keyboard stuffed into a 3D-printed case

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/pi-to-go-portable-raspberry-pi/

Gaming consoles are the usual candidates to go under a screwdriver for miniaturization into portable packages, but Nathan Morgan set out to do something different: transform the hacker-friendly Raspberry Pi into a mobile rig. Thus, the Pi-to-Go was born. The portable's custom 3D-printed case packs a model B revision 1 Raspberry Pi, a 640 x 480 LCD screen and a QWERTY Keyboard with a built-in touchpad. Other internals include a Samsung-made 64GB SSD (with a 1GB swap partition), a rechargeable battery that provides more than 10 hours of juice, a 4GB SD card and support for WiFi and Bluetooth. Morgan's even published build instructions, 3D printer files and a parts list necessary for replicating the box. Not accounting for the 3D-printed case, cobbling together your own Pi-to-Go setup should ring up at just shy of $400. For the entire build breakdown and more images of the rig, hit the bordering source link.

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Source: Parts-People Blog

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Possible Asus ME172V tablet images leak out, give credence to earlier benchmark results

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/21/possible-asus-me172v-images-leak-out-lend-credence-to-earlier-b/

Sometimes, all a good rumor needs to bolster its street cred is a couple of images, and thanks to Notebook Italia and a Russian retailer, the 7-inch Asus ME172V has transformed from mere benchmark figures into a solid possibility. A site called oro1.ru is showing the device up for pre-order at 6,990 rubles (about $225) for a 16GB version, complete with 16GB, 1,024 x 600 screen, Android 4.1 and 1GB RAM. We espied the device earlier on GLBenchmark, which validates those specs while also showing a 1GHz CPU and Mali 400 GPU. Notebook Italia also scoped a photo on Picasa from an apparent 7-inch Asus ME371MG tablet, which allegedly sports a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 chip, 1,280 x 800 IPS display, 1GB of RAM, 3G and 16GB of storage. Considering the slim evidence, that slate's more doubtful, though, and we can't vouch for the Russian vendor's credibility either -- so you may wanna cool your jets until there's official word from the Nexus 7 maker.

[Thanks Daki X]

Filed under: ASUS

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Via: Notebook Italia

Source: ogo1.ru

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Hisense Pulse with Google TV priced at $100, now available from Amazon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/hisense-pulse-google-tv-available-amazon/

It's been a while since we saw it at IFA, but it looks like the Hisense Pulse with Google TV is finally available for purchase a month after its promised release date. You can finally snag the Google TV set-top box from Amazon for $100 -- it misses that "under $99" mark mentioned in its initial announcement, but it's certainly close enough. The compact entertainment box supports 1080p output and has WiFi, HDMI, USB and Ethernet ports, letting you pump in content through a host of connections. Much like other Google TV products, the remote that ships with the device is double-sided -- there's a QWERTY keyboard on the bottom and more traditional controls (along with a trackpad) up top. We didn't think much of the touchpad's small size at the initial hands-on, so hopefully the manufacturer's solved that in the final product. Hisense is certainly cutting things close with this late-December release, but if you click "add to cart" now, it may just arrive in time to make its way underneath a tree.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Google

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Via: Phandroid

Source: Amazon

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Best Buy's CinemaNow opens home disc-to-digital program, makes cloud copies of DVDs for a fee

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/best-buys-cinemanow-kicks-home-disc-to-digital-program-gives-d/

One interesting development of the UltraViolet program has been Walmart / Vudu's in-store disc-to-digital program, and now Best Buy is apparently ready to offer similar functionality, but within the comfort of one's own home. The Best Buy-owned CinemaNow is flashing a Disc to Digital beta page that offers downloads of a player for Windows or Mac PCs that not only allows access to one's UltraViolet library both online or offline, but also insert any DVD (no word on Blu-ray support yet) and convert it to an SD or HD UltraViolet copy. Forum posters report the pricing is equivalent to Walmart's, although the list of supported titles is not exactly identical. Ultraviolet's morass of logins and passwords hasn't gotten any less complicated for digital copies from different studios yet, but in this case linking your account should be relatively simple. Hit the source links to download the apps and check out a list of movies available for conversion, assuming a cloud HDX copy of 2 Fast 2 Furious for $5 is something you find appealing.

[Thanks, @Starkenator]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: CinemaNow, D2D titles (PDF)

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Aptina intros 8MP sensors that bring 60FPS, pro-grade video to phones, action cameras

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/21/aptina-intros-8mp-mobile-sensors-that-bring-60fps-pro-grade-video/

Smartphones and action cameras are no strangers to high-speed video: devices like the HTC One X make it a selling point. They've usually had to crop the frame from a much larger sensor, however, cutting into the final image quality and the field of view. Aptina's new AR0835 and AR0835HS sensors might be the ticket to no-compromise, fast footage. Both 8-megapixel, backside-lit CMOS imagers occupy as much of the sensor as they can when capturing widescreen video at 60 frames per second, oversampling HD video at 6 megapixels; the result is supposedly professional-level video sharpness and viewing angles without the professional-level pricing. Either sensor can also capture 6-megapixel stills mid-video, and they can combine pixels to record 720p video at an even brisker 120FPS. Aptina won't have the action camera-focused AR0835HS in production until first quarter of 2013, but it's already mass-producing the smartphone-oriented AR0835. As such, it shouldn't be long before there's brag-worthy, high-speed home movies sitting in our pockets.

Continue reading Aptina intros 8MP sensors that bring 60FPS, pro-grade video to phones, action cameras

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile

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Source: Aptina

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Samsung reveals its first 14nm FinFET test chip, should offer substantial power improvements in future silicon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/21/samsung-first-14nm-finfet-test-chip-/

Samsung shows no signs of slowing down in 2013 and after confirming plans to expand its chip-making plant in Austin, Texas, the company's also taped out its first 14nm FinFET test chip. The new design (which is being compared with Intel's 'Tri-Gate' found on its Ivy Bridge hardware) promises to offer substantial power and performance improvements compared to existing designs, with low-leakage often mentioned in the same breath as the new silicon. Samsung's new test chip also involved ARM and Synopsis, and is a good sign that we'll be seeing its next-gen chips sooner rather than later.

Continue reading Samsung reveals its first 14nm FinFET test chip, should offer substantial power improvements in future silicon

Filed under: Misc, Samsung

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Source: Yonhap news

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Netflix streaming pal eyeIO brings more pixels with 4K, 10-bit StudioRes video

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/21/netflix-streaming-pal-eyeio-brings4k-10-bit-video/

Remember eyeIO? Its software took over the encoding chores for Netflix awhile back, reducing the required bandwidth enough that it no longer needed the "X-High" option for 1080p video. Now, the company has launched its second-generation of that technology with a new StudioRes option that'll stuff 4k, 10-bit, 4:2:2 video onto the latest UltraHD screens like Sony's $25k 84-inch XBR model. eyeIO also claims its software creates StudioRes and existing HDRes H.264 files 45 percent zippier now, while using 26 percent less bandwidth for "super-fast playback and even clearer, crisper images" in both 2D and 3D on TVs, computers and mobile devices. The company also announced the forthcoming eyeOS UNIX OS for enterprise level 4k video coming next Spring, along with support for the upcoming H.265 standard through its eyeIO.265 product. Now, we're just crossing our fingers for a flood of new UltraHD screens at CES 2013 so we can see all those extra pixels in style.

Continue reading Netflix streaming pal eyeIO brings more pixels with 4K, 10-bit StudioRes video

Filed under: Home ! Entertai nment, Internet

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Vocre for Android Translates Your Speech into Another Language in Almost Real Time

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5970067/vocre-for-android-translates-your-speech-into-another-language-in-almost-real-time

Android: We discussed Vocre when it launched for the iPhone last year. Now, the app has also landed on Android with more features, like a tabletop mode that translates and displays what you're saying and what the person you're speaking to is saying so you both can read, and a slimmer price tag.

Vocre has always been a great translation tool, but the launch of the Android app brings 39 different languages with it, and the ability to translate into them much faster than in previous versions of the iPhone app. The new "desktop" conversation mode is the real draw here though: put the phone on the table, select your language and the language of the person you're speaking with, start talking. The app will translate what each of you you say into the other's native language and display it on the phone's screen so you both can read it. Check out the video above to see what we mean, but it's really cool in action.

Vocre now has a set $2.99 price at Google Play, and no longer forces you to pay per-translation like the old version of the app did. Some astute commenters and reviewers note that some of the languages aren't perfect—for example languages with highly gendered syntax may only reflect one gender (for example, Arabic is currently male-only) but the developers are constantly improving Vocre, and it's a great investment if you're planning a trip.

Vocre ($3) | Google Play via Android Police

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Continental gets automated vehicle approved for Nevada roads

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/continental-highly-automated-vehicle-approved-nevada/

Google isn't the only outfit puttering around Nevada roads with its hands off the wheel -- German automotive supplier Continental has the state's approval to let the computer take the wheel, too. Earlier this week the Silver State signed off on the German company's safety, employee training, system function and accident reporting plans, granting Continental a testing license and adorning its vehicles with red license plates. It's the very same treatment Mountain View received back in May -- but Continental's cars aren't exactly direct competitors to Google's fare.

The company's "highly automated vehicles" are more of an advanced cruise control system than a self driving car -- capable of navigating stop and go traffic on a freeway, for example, but still requiring the driver to take control as their exit draws near. Continental sees the partially autonomous vehicle as a stepping stone to fully automated cars, and plans to offer the partial solution between 2016 and 2020, switching up to fully automated driving systems by 2025. The company hopes refine its testing to meet this goal in Nevada, putting its stereo camera and sensor equipped vehicle through freeway and rush-hour trials in real traffic. The company's ultimate goal, of course, is to eliminate accidents and fatalities on the road. Check out the firm's official PR after the break.

Continue reading Continental gets automated vehicle approved for Nevada roads

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Verge, Wired

Source: Continental

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Imo's iPad app augmented with free voice calling, enhanced photo sharing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/imo-im-ipad-update/

When Imo crammed free voice calling into its iPhone application, it neglected to port the functionality to its large-screened counterpart. Now, the iPad version of Imo.im is catching up -- adding VoIP support over 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi to other Imo users across iOS and Android. The latest version of the instant messaging aggregator boasts revamped photo tools too, featuring group photo sharing and real-time image uploads. These tweaks accompany a slew of design changes, including a color-coded status indicator bar and similar hue-based notifications for contact availability. Standard stuff, really, but that shouldn't stop iPad-toting chatterboxes from heading to the source link and giving the app a whirl.

Continue reading Imo's iPad app augmented with free voice calling, enhanced photo sharing

Filed under: Tablets, Mobile

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Source: iTunes

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Flipboard lands on Android tablets, now supports Nexus 10

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/flipboard-lands-on-android-tablets-now-supports-nexus-10/

It's no secret that we're big fans of Flipboard here at Engadget, but there's one thing we've been longing for: a tablet-optimized Android version. Until now, running the app on the Nexus 10 (by sideloading the APK) or even the Nexus 7 (officially supported) meant living with a scaled-up phone experience. Today, Flipboard is getting updated in the Play Store to supports a variety of Android tablets such as Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1, the Galaxy Tab series and the Nexus 10. A setting lets you chose between phone and tablet modes, which is useful for mid-size devices like Amazon's Kindle Fire, the Nook and the Nexus 7. Flipboard worked closely with Samsung to optimize the app and take advantage of larger, higher resolution displays. This means more of your favorite tiles, larger story snippets and landscape support (at last). We spent a few hours using Flipboard's new app for Android and came away suitably impressed -- anyone familiar with the iPad version will feel right at home. PR after the break.

Continue reading Flipboard lands on Andr! oid tabl ets, now supports Nexus 10

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google

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Source: Flipboard (Google Play)

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Forrester report finds US tablet ownership doubled this year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/forrester-2012-report/

Forrester Research has come out with its annual report on technology consumption in the US, and tablets are certainly gaining popularity. Although slightly lower than Pew Research's figures, Forrester deduced from its nigh 60,000-strong survey that 19 percent of 'mericans over the age of 18 own at least one tablet -- double the number the research outfit noted last year. While tech penetration is lowest among adults aged 47 and up, 14 percent of this demographic now have slates, which again is twice the figure recorded in 2011. Another notable stat that's risen is daily internet use, with 84 percent of adults hopping online every day (up from 78 percent last year), and approximately half of those owning a smartphone of some variety. TVs are pretty well connected also, as 43 percent of the plugged-in population has accessed the net from their living rooms, with games consoles being by far the most popular intermediary. The whole report isn't available to the public, but why not use the time you would've spent reading it inspecting what's under the tree, and hoping you'll be responsible for upping those tablet stats in next year's report.

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Lap! tops , Tablets, Internet

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Via: TAUW

Source: TechCrunch, Forrester Research (1), (2)

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