Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, May 20, 2013

ASUS Zenbook Infinity Ultrabook to appear at Computex 2013 with Gorilla Glass 3 lid

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/asus-zenbook-infinity-ultrabook-computex-2013/

ASUS' Transformer Book hybrid may have just graduated from our review testing, but the company already has a new product to tempt you. The Zenbook Infinity will be the "world's first Ultrabook with a lid made form Corning Gorilla Glass 3" and will be revealed in full at Taipei's Computex 2013 in a few weeks. It'll measure in at just 15.5mm thick, which a full 14 percent thinner than previous Zenbooks. Next-generation Gorilla Glass will cover the outer lid and the keyboard surround, although you can expect to see that familiar concentric circle pattern beneath the protection. ASUS says the Ultrabook will launch Q3 2013, but expect to see the full specs before then.

Filed under: Laptops, ASUS

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HTC One for T-Mobile: what's different?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/htc-one-for-t-mobile-review/

By most accounts, the HTC One is the most compelling Android smartphone on the market today, but only three of the major US carriers are wise enough to sell it. Up until this point, we've put the AT&T and Sprint models through their paces, and now we have an opportunity to round out the trio with T-Mobile's version. Given the carrier's recent shift to an unsubsidized pricing model -- which brings lower monthly fees in exchange for purchasing your phone outright -- you may be in for some sticker shock with the HTC One, which runs $580, but you can also pay $100 down with installments of $20 per month over the course of two years.

If you're currently on the fence about whether the HTC One is right for your needs, you'll definitely want to check out our full review, which features an in-depth look at the phone's design, camera and the many novel features that you'll find with HTC's custom software environment, Sense 5. Here, we'll explore the subtle nuances of T-Mobile's version, with plenty of benchmarks, impressions about the voice quality and battery life, an overview of the bundled apps and a comparison to the One's closest competitors on T-Mo. There's plenty to cover, so join us after the break as we explore everything that you need to know about the HTC One for T-Mobile.

Gallery: HTC One for T-Mobile review

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC, Google, T-Mobile

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Insert Coin: Linkbot modular robotic platform lets you quickly build a bot, skills

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/insert-coin-linkbot/

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.

Everybody loves robots, but the initial ardor for building one can quickly be snuffed out by the complex reality of actually programming it to do anything. That's where Linkbot comes in, a new project from the Barobo team that brought us the Mobot. It's designed as a modular system that can be expanded infinitely with accessories like a camera mount, gripper, and wheels, thanks to three separate mounting surfaces -- which also have standard #6-32 screw attachment holes on the mounting plate to attach personality-enhancing cutouts. Despite the expansion potential, though, it can still be used right out of the box to do robotics without touching a lick of code. That's thanks to several built-in modes like BumpConnect, which permits wireless connections between the modules by touching them together; and PoseTeach, to program complex motions by hand in a similar (but less time-consuming) manner to stop-motion animation techniques.

For those who want to step it up a notch, the system lets you go far past basic mech fun. The Linkbot itself has two rotating hubs with absolute encoding, along with an accelerometer, buzzer, multicolored LCD and ZigBee wireless system with a 100m line-of-sight range. There are also optional breakout and Bluetooth boards to connect sensors like range finders, IR proximity sensors, photo detectors and thermostats. The outfit's BaroboLink software for Mac, PC or Linux is included to program the Arduino-compatible bot in several languages as well, and can even translate previously created PoseTeach motions into computer routines. So far, the company has created working prototypes and even shipped them to local schools, so if you're interested, you can pledge a minimum $129 toward the company's $40,000 target to grab one. That'll net you a Linkbot, two wheels, the BaroboLink software, access to the MyBarobo community -- and hopefully a jolt to your robotics confidence.

Filed under: Robots

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Source: Kickstarter

Photos of a new Samsung Galaxy S 4 emerge, could it be the Active?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/samsung-gs-4-active-leak/

A stock GS4 may look virtually indistinguishable from its predecessor, but it looks like Samsung's got a new variant of its flagship phone that'll bring it some much-needed visual flair. The folks at GSM Arena unearthed photos of a GT-I9295 model (allegedly called the GS4 Active) sporting a bright red shell with black inserts at the top and bottom and a trio of physical buttons on its chin. If the results returned by the AnTuTu benchmark are to be believed, the phone's equipped with standard GS4 fixins: a quad-core CPU clocked at 1.9Ghz and an Adreno 320 GPU (aka, a Snapdragon 600 SoC) and a 1920 x 1080 display. Naturally, there's no word on pricing, carrier support or an arrival date, but there are a couple more photos of the handset at the source.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: GSM Arena

Hangouts upgrade disables outbound Google Voice calls in desktop Gmail, company promises it will return 'soon'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/hangouts-upgrade-disables-outbound-google-voice-calls-in-desktop/

Anyone who's tried out the new Hangouts feature in Gmail in place of the traditional Google Talk option got a bit of surprise when they went to make an outbound call from their computer. That feature gets disabled when the new Hangouts replacement is switched on, leaving folks looking to make calls with no other option than to revert to the old Google Talk in Gmail or seek out another alternative. That's apparently just a temporary change, though, as Google's Nikhyl Singhal has now confirmed that both outbound and inbound calls will "soon be available." Unfortunately, he's not getting any more specific than that for the time being. He did, however, reiterate that "Hangouts is designed to be the future of Google Voice," and that "making/receiving phone calls is just the beginning," further adding that "future versions of Hangouts will integrate Google Voice more seamlessly."

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Nikhyl Singhai (Google+)

Arduino Yun weds Arduino, WiFi and linux at Maker Faire 2013

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/arduino-yun-weds-arduino-wifi-and-linux-at-maker-faire-2013/

The Arduino Robot wasn't the only interesting product the Italian company launched at Maker Faire this past weekend. Arduino Yún combines a Leonardo board (featuring Atmel's ATmega32u4) with a MIPS-based WiFi SoC (Atheros AR9331) running Limino (an OpenWRT / linux derivative). It includes everything you'd expect from a Leonardo board plus WiFi, wired Ethernet, a USB host port and a microSD card slot. The Arduino side can be programmed wirelessly and communicates with the WiFi SoC via SPI and UART interfaces using the new Bridge Library, which delegates networking to the linux side. Out of the box, the board behaves just like any standard WiFi access point with a full web interface -- it even allows SSH access. Arduino Yún is the first of a family of WiFI-enabled products and will be available late June for $69. Check out the gallery below for some closeup shots, and follow the source for more details.

Gallery: Arduino Yún at Maker Faire 2013

Filed under: Misc, Wireless

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Source: Arduino blog

Google Hangouts Has a Weird, Fun Multi-Cam Trick

Source: http://gizmodo.com/google-hangouts-has-a-weird-fun-multi-cam-trick-508504684

So, Google's new Hangouts app keeps all of your chats in sync across all of your devices. Cool, right? But what if you're in a video call on your phone, and then open the same video call on your computer. Boop! Suddenly there's two of you, as I just discovered when chatting with my friend Bay.

You can now show two angles of yourself at the same time. Turn your head from one to the quickly for instant comedy. But why stop there? I pulled out my tablet, and yep, that worked, too. In the image above you can see there's three of me and two of him.

This may not have been an intentional Easter egg, but it's fun nonetheless. There might actually be a modicum of utility, even. You could continue to show your face, while you use the camera on your phone to show some project that you're working on. Or maybe it's so you can switch from one device to the other without having to hang up. Really, though, you're just going to use it to weird people out, and that's just fine. But watch out for audio feedback. It can be harsh.

This 18-Year-Old's Invention Could Make Your Future Phone Instacharge

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-18-year-olds-invention-could-make-your-future-pho-508532491

While you are hanging out on the Internet (in your underwear, maybe?) on a Saturday, kids that are smarter than either of us are out there getting ready to change the world. 18-year-old Eesha Khare (left), for instance, not only invented a supercapacitor that could someday be a phone battery that charges in just a couple of seconds; she also won $50,000 for it.

Khare is one of the three big winners from the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. She and 17-year-old Henry Lin (right)—who created a model that simulates thousands of galaxies—picked up Intel Foundation Young Scientist Awards. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Ionut Budisteanu won the Gordon E. Moore Award and $75,000 for his AI model that could lead to a cheaper self-driving car. Khare's invention is the one with some really immediate potential though, and quick-charging phones is something we all want.

So far, the supercapcitor has only been tested to light up a LED, but it was able to do that wonderfully and the prototypes new format holds potential to be scaled. It's also flexible and tiny, and should be able to handle 10,000 recharge cycles, more than normal batteries by a factor of 10.

It's a great step in the right direction, especially since we all know that battery life is the most important feature a phone can have. But like all supercapcitor tech, it's not exactly close to commercial development yet. But hey, if an (admittedly super smart) 18-year-old can get this stuff figured out, multi-national corporations with an even bigger cash profit incentive on the table should be able to as well, right? Hurry up already. I'll take either solution so long as one comes soon. [Intel via NBC News]

What Do You Want From Lyrics Sites?

Source: http://gizmodo.com/what-do-you-want-from-lyrics-sites-508727739

Seriously, what is the deal with allll those janky lyrics sites? You google the lyrics for Random Access Memory and you're suddenly transported to the early 2000s. It's sort of surreal. I'm not the first person to mention this by far, and yet the lyrics world just seems to stagnate.

There are new lyrics apps sometimes that are pretty, but the fact is we're all just looking to resolve an "are we human or we dancer" debate and get on with our lives. What features would you appreciate if these sites decided to actually exist in any aesthetic vaguely reminiscent of 2013? What would be value-added for you?

Samsung plans to launch 65-, 55-inch 4K TVs in June

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/19/samsung-4k-55-65-inch-june/

When Samsung unveiled its first 4K Ultra HD TV at CES this year, it said other sizes would follow, both larger and smaller than the initial 85-inch version. Now it's apparently ready to fulfill part of that promise, announcing in Korea that 65- and 55-inch models will launch next month. Of course our next question is how these smaller models will compare to the $39,999 MSRP 85S9 UHD TV in price. Hopefully they'll follow the path blazed by Sony, which recently introduced models at that size with pricing well below the $10,000 benchmark, although we expect Seiki's 50-incher will still hold the crown for value pricing. The press release mentions they will feature Samsung's upgradeable Smart TV platform and the "micro dimming ultimate" LED lighting of their larger cousin, but the odd "Timeless Gallery" frame / stand (pictured above on the 85-incher) was not listed.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Source: Samsung Korea

LG to demo 5-inch unbreakable and flexible plastic OLED panel at SID

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/19/lg-5-inch-flexible-oled/

LG's got quite a bit in store for us this week at SID's annual display exhibition in Vancouver. In addition to that 55-inch curved OLED TV we first heard about last month, the company will be demonstrating a very nifty 5-inch OLED panel. Created for mobile devices, the display is constructed of plastic, making it both flexible and unbreakable -- certainly a welcome quality when it comes to smartphone design.

Also on display will be 5- and 7-inch HD Oxide TFT panels. That first size features a bezel that's just 1mm wide, enabling a borderless frame when installed in smartphones. Both displays are lightweight and consume less power than their traditional equivalents. Finally, LG will have a 14-inch 2560x1440-pixel laptop panel on hand, along with LCDs designed for use in refrigerators and automotive dashboards. We'll be live from the SID show floor later this week -- check back for our hands-ons with all of these new LG panels, and quite a bit more.

Filed under: Displays, HD, LG

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ASUS Transformer Book review: meet ASUS' first detachable Ultrabook

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/asus-transformer-book-tx300-review/

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For a while, it looked like ASUS' Transformer Book would turn out to be vaporware: after debuting to much fanfare a year ago, it encountered numerous delays, and even missed the crucial holiday shopping season. Now it's finally here, priced at $1,499 with a Core i7 processor, a 13.3-inch (1080p) screen and a detachable keyboard dock housing both a spare battery and a 500GB hard drive. The problem is the timing: Intel is about to launch its new Haswell chips, and here's the Transformer Book, arriving on the scene with a lofty price and a year-old CPU.

It'd be easy enough to tell you just wait for a refresh, which is how we've been ending all of our PC reviews in the weeks leading up to this year's Computex. But it's still worth investigating whether the Transformer Book (aka the TX300) is a compelling idea. Though we've seen many tablet hybrids (the Surface Pro, etc.), they've mostly had smaller 11-inch screens. So what happens when you take that form factor and stretch it to accommodate a bigger screen -- and a more spacious keyboard? And how does it compare to all those convertible options out there, like the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 or the Dell XPS 12? Let's have a look.

Gallery: ASUS Transformer Book review

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, ASUS

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Sony Xperia UL announced for Japan: 5-inch 1080p display and 15-frame burst photography skills (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/sony-xperia-ul-announced-may-release-date/

The FCC may have spoiled the surprise, but Sony's now gone official with yet another smartphone and this one's for its native Japan. The Xperia UL appears to be a slightly thicker riff on the Xperia Z, matching the display of the company's early-2013 flagship, with a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064) ticking behind the 5-inch 1080p screen. It's worth noting that it's a substantial resolution bump from the similar-looking 720p NTT DoCoMo Xperia A. Although it's not the Snapdragon 600 rumored, Qualcomm's S4 Pro flexes its muscle through Exmor RS 13-megapixel camera sensor, offering up the ability to capture 15 frames in a second. NFC, naturally, is already in attendance as well as the Felica wireless payment system. You'll also get the benefits of both a physical camera button and water (IPX5/8) and dust resistance (IP5X) -- two features in tandem that should help separate it from Sony's pair of existing 5-inch 1080p smartphones. The Xperia UL will launch on KDDI's au network in white, black and hot pink colors on May 25th. Check out the obligatory close-up ad after the break.

Update: The Xperia UL runs on an S4 Pro processor, not the Snapdragon 600 initially stated.

Gallery: Sony Xperia UL press shots

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Source: Sony (Japanese)

Google's Field Trip app granting free admission to 13 museums

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/google-field-trip-free-admission-to-13-museums/

While Mountain View's Field Trip app may find attractions off the beaten path, footing the bill for excursions has been up to users. Now, however, the Niantic Labs-made application is handing out freebies for an unspecified limited time, allowing those who wield it to waltz into 13 museums for free. Folks near the establishments will receive Free Entry cards in the "nearby" tab, which will let them pass turnstiles without forking over a dime. Although Field Trip has been beefed up with points of interest in over 80 countries, the participating institutions -- which range from The Field Museum to the Walt Disney Family Museum -- are all located in six US cities. Head past the break for the full list.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

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Source: Field Trip (Google+)

The first Jolla phone: 4.5-inch display, Android app compliant, 399 euros

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/jolla-phone/

Jolla's heavily teased launch day in Finland has already spilled some major news: pricing and specs for the first Sailfish OS handset. The phone seems to be called "The Other Half" -- or at least that's the working title for now -- and judging from Jolla's Facebook page it consists of a colorful plastic case, available in various shades including orange or green, which hooks onto the main chassis containing a 4.5-inch display (of unknown resolution), dual-core processor, microSD expansion with 16GB onboard, a "4G" modem, user replaceable battery and an 8MP rear camera. The chassis recognizes which case is attached and adapts the visual theme of the OS to match, creating "your other half, exactly as you want it to be."

Perhaps more usefully, the Sailfish operating system will also be Android app compliant out of the box, and we're currently on the ground in Helsinki trying to discover exactly how developers and users will be able to put that feature to work (while also chasing down the rest of the specs). Meanwhile, there's an emphatic video message from Jolla co-founder Marc Dillon after the break, seeking the world's assistance in taking the heritage of MeeGo into a new era.

Update: We now hear that the phone will simply be called the "Jolla."

Update #2: Jolla has just clarified that 4G means LTE.

[Thanks, Toni]

Gallery: Jolla unites the halves

Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, May 20, 2013

ASUS Zenbook Infinity Ultrabook to appear at Computex 2013 with Gorilla Glass 3 lid

HTC One for T-Mobile: what's different?

Insert Coin: Linkbot modular robotic platform lets you quickly build a bot, skills

Photos of a new Samsung Galaxy S 4 emerge, could it be the Active?

Hangouts upgrade disables outbound Google Voice calls in desktop Gmail, company promises it will return 'soon'

Arduino Yun weds Arduino, WiFi and linux at Maker Faire 2013

Google Hangouts Has a Weird, Fun Multi-Cam Trick

This 18-Year-Old's Invention Could Make Your Future Phone Instacharge

What Do You Want From Lyrics Sites?

Samsung plans to launch 65-, 55-inch 4K TVs in June

LG to demo 5-inch unbreakable and flexible plastic OLED panel at SID

ASUS Transformer Book review: meet ASUS' first detachable Ultrabook

More Info

Sony Xperia UL announced for Japan: 5-inch 1080p display and 15-frame burst photography skills (video)

Google's Field Trip app granting free admission to 13 museums

The first Jolla phone: 4.5-inch display, Android app compliant, 399 euros

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Monday, May 20, 2013

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