Samsung's 55-inch Curved OLED TV ships today for a sufferable $9,000 (eyes-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/13/samsungs-curved-oled-tv-shipping/

Any way you look at it, nine thousand dollars is a heck of a lot to spend on a television. But in the case of Samsung's 55-inch Curved OLED set, it's a fair share less than the $15,000 we heard quoted just last month. Just like LG's equivalent, the Samsung KN55S9C was designed with a curved profile in order to "envelope" viewers -- your viewing experience is improved, in theory, because you're more immersed in the display. The OLED set includes the company's Multi-View feature, which lets two people watch different programming at the same time when using compatible active 3D glasses, and it's compatible with the Evolution Kit Samsung introduced at CES. The 55-inch KN55S9C is on its way to select retailers, and can be yours for the considerable sum of $9,000.

Gallery: Samsung 55-inch curved OLED eyes-on

Update: The set will be available tomorrow (August 14th) on Samsung.com. Additionally, Consumer Reports has already managed to review the TV, giving the Samsung KN55S9C high marks, despite its sky-high price.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Chase goes all in on Isis, announces plans for nationwide rollout

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/12/chase-isis-nationwide/

We'd hardly call Isis a juggernaut, but the would-be Google Wallet-slayer is certainly building steam. After convincing American Express to back it in a nationwide rollout, Chase has decided to hop on the expansion train as well. The mobile payment launch partner is clearly quite happy with how pilot programs in Austin, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah went. Soon enough holders of Chase Freedom, Sapphire and Slate cards, along with those special people in possession of a JPMorgan Palladium card will be able to load their accounts into the Isis Mobile Wallet app and tap to pay at retail locations across the nation. Of course, if you're part of the one percent, walking around with your Palladium card, chances are you probably don't wander into to Walgreens to pick up your own Gold Bond Medicated Foot Powder very often anyway.

Filed under: Misc, Mobile

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NASA Satellites Can Even Make a Devastating Drought Look Incredible

Source: http://gizmodo.com/nasa-satellites-can-even-make-a-devastating-drought-loo-1108974715

Watching the animation above, it's hard not to get goosebumps when the the clock hits 2012 and the whole United States goes red. That's what it looks like from space when the Earth is parched.

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Sony's rumored QX10 and QX100 'lens cameras' pair with your smartphone or tablet, pictured ahead of release

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/12/sonys-qx10-qx100-lens-cameras/

Now this is innovation, folks. Sony's reportedly gearing up to announce a pair of "lens cameras" that attach to your existing smartphone or tablet. The unique devices are said to feature a sensor, processor, zoom lens, WiFi connectivity and an SD card slot, but no display or other typical controls (beyond a zoom toggle and perhaps a shutter release). You'll use your handset or slate to control the lens, adjust framing and transmit images. According to SonyAlphaRumors, the electronics giant is expected to release two models: the DSC-QX10 (pictured above) and the DSC-QX100. The latter will ship with the same 1-inch sensor used with the RX100 Mark II, while the other lens will include a larger 10x focal range and a 1/2.3-inch 18-megapixel CMOS sensor. There's no word on pricing or availability, but with Sony's IFA press conference right around the corner, we'll likely get the full scoop (and hopefully some hands-on time) come September 4th.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Tablets

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Source: SonyAlphaRumors

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See NYC From a New Angle With These Awesomely Nerdy Maps

Source: http://gizmodo.com/see-nyc-from-a-new-angle-with-these-awesomely-nerdy-map-1093545954

On July 25, data fans rejoiced when New York City government opened up a gigantic amount geospatial data to the public. The dataset, PLUTO, is “a real-world version of SIm City” based on tax lot data (it sounds less interesting than it is). Now, maps based on PLUTP are hitting the web—and these are some of the coolest.

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NSA releases outline of security programs, says it 'only' touches 1.6 percent of internet traffic

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/09/nsa-releases-outline-of-security-programs-says-it-only-touche/

Even as President Obama proposes a review of NSA procedures and oversight, the organization published a seven page document laying out in broad terms what it does, how it does it and why it thinks that's OK. As Ars Technica points out, the memo claims "We do not need to sacrifice civil liberties for the sake of national security; both are integral to who we are as Americans. NSA can and will continue to conduct its operations in a manner that respects both." While many would argue those points in light of the many programs recently uncovered, the NSA has a response there also:

According to figures published by a major tech provider, the Internet carries 1,826 Petabytes of information per day. In its foreign intelligence mission, NSA touches about 1.6% of that. However, of the 1.6% of the data, only 0.025% is actually selected for review. The net effect is that NSA analysts look at 0.00004% of the world's traffic in conducting their mission - that's less than one part in a million. Put another way, if a standard basketball court represented the global communications environment, NSA's total collection would be represented by an area smaller than a dime on that basketball court.

Other sections go on to detail how it believes American citizen's information could be picked up, and what it does to identify and minimize that data. Particularly illuminating is the six point process (listed after the break) by which it applies Executive Order 12333, considered "the foundational authority by which NSA collects, retains, analyzes, and disseminates foreign signals intelligence information" alongside the Foreign Intelligence Service Act of 1978 (FISA). It's highly doubtful that any of these points will change your level of comfort with the policies and programs revealed or feelings about their need to change, but reading the document linked below may give some insight about how and why they were created.

Filed under: Internet

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Via: Ars Technica

Source: NSA (PDF)

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Smart's Fortwo ED leasing for $139/ month, battery rental included

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/10/smart-fourtwo-price-drop/

Assuming you're small enough to fit comfortably, owning the cheap EV of your dreams could soon become a reality. Chevy recently cut the Volt's price and, as of this week, the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive is available for less, too. Specifically, it's $139 per month on a three-year, 30,000 mile lease that includes its "battery assurance plus" program, an $80 per month option for purchasers. However, to get that special rate, you'll have to put $1,999 down and sign paperwork either in California, Oregon or along the East coast. If you'd rather buy outright instead of leasing, Daimler's compact division has incentives for you, too. In addition to any tax breaks you get from the state and or federal government, the company is knocking $5,010 off the ED's already low $25,000 sticker price. It's finally looking like your payments could match the electric two-seater's diminutive stature.

Filed under: Transportation

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Source: Autoblog (1), (2)

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Guys That Invented Encrypted Email Say Email Can Never Be Safe From NSA Snooping

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/silent-circle-shutters-private-email-service-2013-8

Silent Circle, a company founded by Internet Hall of famer Phil Zimmermann, famous privacy expert Jon Callas, and a couple of Navy Seals, has shut down its secure email service.

They shuttered it because email can't be secured in a way that would prevent a government agency like the NSA from snooping, the founders said.

All email messages "leak metadata" they say. That information includes data about who you are talking to and where you are. That info is visible even if the message itself is encrypted.

"E-mail as we know it today is fundamentally broken from a privacy perspective," Callas says. That's a pretty strong statement coming from this particular guy.

Zimmermann and Callas were the creators and cofounders of Pretty Good Privacy in the 1990s. PGP was one of first technologies to encrypt email to prevent spying.

Last year, they launched a new service, Silent Circle, that encrypts mobile phone calls, video calls and texts. Since smartphones also handle email, Silent Circle was encrypting email.

But now it's pulling the plug on the email portion of their service. The company says that it has not been asked to add a back door or to turn over emails. It is closing the service preemptively.

If you want to see what someone can learn about you by looking at your email metadata, here's a tool called Immersion that will show you.  It was created by a team at the MIT Media Lab.

SEE ALSO: 10 Awesome Apps To Protect Your Smartphone

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This Multi-Camera Rig Lets Sports Fans Watch Any Angle They Want

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-multi-camera-rig-lets-sports-fans-watch-any-angle-1077067721

There's usually a talented director calling the shots at televised live events like sports or a concert, but researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute want to put some of the control in the hands of the viewer at home. They've developed the OmniCam360, an ultra-compact 360 degree camera weighing in at just over 30 pounds that can be easily set up by a single operator.

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Article: HP's 20-inch mega-tablet, the Envy Rove 20

The good: The HP Envy Rove 20 costs a bit less than some other tabletop PCs, includes great audio, and runs long enough to watch a couple of movies without being plugged in.

The bad: It's heavier than some comparable big-screen systems, uses a lower-end CPU, and the 20-inch...

http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/hp-envy-rove-20/4505-3118_7-35770018.html?subj=cnet&tag=title

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HWiNFO Provides More Info About Your Computer Than You'll Ever Need

Source: http://lifehacker.com/hwinfo-provides-more-info-about-your-computer-than-you-1044830886

Windows: When it comes to diagnosing hardware problems, there's not such thing as too much information. HWiNFO gets credit for trying to push that limit, though.

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Roku's updated iOS app now lets you stream video directly from your iPhone to its set-top boxes.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/rokus-updated-ios-app-now-lets-you-stream-video-directl-1075606513

Roku's updated iOS app now lets you stream video directly from your iPhone to its set-top boxes. Which is neat.

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Textbooks now available through Google Play Books in US, iOS app updated to match

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/08/textbooks-now-available-through-google-play-books-in-us/

Google promised us that it would offer textbooks through Google Play Books this month, and it's living up to its word. American students can now buy educational titles or rent them for six months, with prices frequently undercutting paper editions. Appropriately, Google has updated its Google Play Books app for iOS to support rentals like its Android and web counterparts. The launch is a painful reminder that the fall semester is just around the corner, but college-goers who want to be prepared can check out the source links.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Google

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Source: Google Play, App Store

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Silent Circle follows Lavabit's example, shuts down its secure email service

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/08/silent-circle-follows-lavabits-example-shuts-down-its-secure-e/

Silent Circle's thing has always been the promise of end-to-end secure communications, and that drive is apparently causing it to shut down the Silent Mail email service. Reasons cited in a blog post by CTO Jon Callas include the insecure nature of email protocols and preemptively avoiding the outside (read: FISA) pressures that prompted Lavabit to close its doors. Silent Circle says it hadn't received any "subpoenas, warrants, security letters, or anything else". Still, CEO Michael Janke tells TechCrunch he believed the government would come knocking due to certain high profile users of the service. Its phone, video and text products remain operational and claim to be "secure as ever", if you're wondering.

Filed under: Internet

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Source: Silent Circle

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inWatch One smartwatch has GSM connectivity and a heavily skinned version of Android

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/09/inwatch-one-smart-watch-china/

From Kickstarter projects to rumored devices from the biggest gadget manufacturers on earth, smartwatches of all kinds are popping up all over the world. The latest such wearable was unearthed by our good friends at Engadget Chinese, and is called inWatch One. It sets itself apart from other smartwatches with a custom version of Android 4.0 and a GSM SIM card slot to give your wrist access to mobile voice and data networks. inWatch has a 1.54-inch 240 x 240 capacitive display, a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU of unknown origin, a 2-megapixel camera and a 500mAh battery. Connectivity comes courtesy of the aforementioned GSM (likely for China-friendly 900/1800/2100 MHz bands), WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS radios. As for that custom Android build, dubbed inDroid, its been tailored to fit the watch's smaller screen and works with some of China's most popular apps; WeChat, Sina Weibo, QQ and Baidu music are all supported. Interested? It's available now on the company's website for RMB 1,788 million (about $293 US).

Filed under: Wearables, Mobile

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Via: Engadget Chinese

Source: inWatch (Chinese)

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